I 2 Catalyzed and TBHP/Ammonium-Promoted Conversion of Arylethanone to Nitriles via β-Scission of Iminyl Radicals.

Herein, we report a general I 2 -catalyzed and TBHP/ammonium-promoted conversion of arylethanone to aromatic nitriles under air. This procedure proceeded with the β-scission of iminyl radical, which was facilitated via quenching the released alkyl radical by tert -butyl peroxyl radical leading to peroxide followed with Kornblum-DeLaMare rearrangement. A series of aryl methyl ketone and alkyl aryl ketone worked well with good functional group tolerance in high yields. As such, this metal-free procedure represents a facile, safe, green, and practical procedure in conversion of arylethanone to aromatic nitriles.