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Updated: Sep 25, 2025

Synthesis of Hypervalent Iodonium Alkynyl Triflates for the Application of Generating Cyanocarbenes
Published on: September 8, 2013
Direct cyanation, hydrocyanation, dicyanation and cyanofunctionalization of alkynes
Lifen Peng1, Zhifang Hu1, Hong Wang1
1Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule of Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Controllable Preparation and Functional Application of Fine Polymers, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology Xiangtan 411201 P. R. China 1060137@hnust.edu.cn.
Abstract:
In this review, direct cyanation, hydrocyanation, dicyanation, cyanofunctionalization and other cyanation reactions of alkynes were highlighted. Firstly, the use of nitriles and development of cyanation was simply introduced. After presenting the natural properties of alkynes, cyanation reactions of alkynes were classified and introduced in detail. Transition metal catalysed direct cyanation and hydrocyanation of alkynes gave alkynyl cyanides and alkenyl nitriles in good yields. Dicyanation of alkynes produced 1,2-dicyano adducts. Cyanofunctionalization of alkynes afforded functional cyanated compounds. Thiocyanation and selenocyanation yielded the expected functional vinylthiocyanates and vinylselenocyanates. A plausible reaction mechanism is presented if available.
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