Chemistry Letters, Vol.33, No.9, 1192-1193, 2004
Preparation of nitriles from primary alcohols by a new type of oxidation-reduction condensation using 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone and diethyl cyanophosphonate
Cyanation of alkoxydiphenylphosphines, in situ prepared from (BuLi)-Bu-n and various primary alcohols, with 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone (DMBQ) and diethyl cyanophosphonate provided the corresponding nitriles in high yields.