Catalytic Activation of 1-Cyano-3,3-dimethyl-3-(1H)-1,2-benziodoxole with B(C6F5)3 Enabling the Electrophilic Cyanation of Silyl Enol Ethers.

The Lewis acidic activation of a hypervalent iodine reagent containing a transferable cyano group, 1-cyano-3,3-dimethyl-3-(1H)-1,2-benziodoxole (CDBX), with B(C6F5)3, to achieve the catalytic electrophilic cyanation of silyl enol ethers is presented. Mechanistic studies indicate that CDBX is activated through coordination of its cyano group to B(C6F5)3, thus enabling the electrophilic cyanation reaction to occur.