A simple, mild, catalyst-free, and
efficacious KO
t
Bu-mediated reductive cyanation
reaction of tertiary amides
under hydrosilylation conditions has been described. A series of α-aminonitriles
is obtained in moderate to high yield with good functional group tolerance.
The reaction works well with a readily available amide substrate,
a cheap and versatile base KO
t
Bu, and
a commercially available hydrosilane (EtO)3SiH and is convenient
for workup and purification.