Palladium-catalyzed direct deprotonative arylation of 2-pyridylacetonitriles: Facile synthesis of alpha-aryl-2-pyridylacetonitrile

alpha-Aryl-2-pyridylacetonitrile, an important chemical intermediate, was synthesized via direct deprotonative arylation of 2-pyridylacetonitrile with aryl bromides. Pd(OAc)2/NixantPhos-based catalysis system promoted this arylation reaction to furnish diverse alpha-aryl-2-pyridylacetonitrile derivatives in wide range function group tolerance and high yield (80%-97%). (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.