An efficient, cost effective and environmental friendly PEGylated magnetic nanoparticle catalyzed oxidative cyanation via C-H activation of tertiary amines to corresponding alpha-aminonitriles using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant and sodium cyanide as cyanide source is described. The synthesized nanocatalyst was easily recovered with the help of external magnet and was successfully reused for several runs without any significant loss in catalytic activity. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.