Transition-Metal-Free Deacylative Cleavage of Unstrained C(sp3)-C(sp2) Bonds: Cyanide-Free Access to Aryl and Aliphatic Nitriles from Ketones and Aldehydes

A transition-metal-free deacylative C(sp(3))-C(sp(2)) bond cleavage for the synthetically practical oxidative amination of ketones and aldehydes to nitriles is first described, using cheap and commercially abundant NaNO2 as the oxidant and the nitrogen source. Various nitriles bearing aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, and alkenyl groups could be smoothly obtained from ketones and aldehydes in high yields, avoiding highly toxic cyanides or transition metals.