Phosphine-catalyzed conjugate cyanation of β-trifluoromethyl enones: access to α-trifluoromethyl γ-carbonyl nitriles

Abstract

Herein, we developed an efficient conjugate cyanation of β-trifluoromethyl enones with TMSCN mediated by phosphine. In this transformation, the key organophosphorus zwitterion, which was generated in situ by mixing organophosphine with methyl acrylate, could enable this transformation as a highly efficient Lewis base catalyst.