Photocatalytic Conversion of Benzyl Alcohols/Methyl Arenes to Aryl Nitriles via H-Abstraction by Azide Radical.

This report presents the visible-light-assisted synthesis of aryl nitriles from easily accessible alcohols or methyl arenes in the presence of O2 . Organic photoredox catalyst, 4CzIPN (1,2,3,5-tetrakis(carbazol-9-yl)-4,6-dicyanobenzene), induces single electron transfer (SET) from azide N3 - and generates azide radical N3 ⋅.The photogenerated N3 ⋅ abstracts H atom from α-C-H bond of benzylic system, which provides aldehyde and hydrazoic acid (HN3 ) in situ. This reaction subsequently forms azido alcohol intermediate that transforms into nitrile with the assistance of triflic acid (Brønsted acid). A range of alcohols and methyl arenes successfully underwent cyanation at room temperature with good to excellent yields and showed good functional group tolerance.