Efficient solvent-free selective monoalkylation of arylacetonitriles with mono-, bis-, and tris-primary alcohols catalyzed by a Cp*Ir complex.

Our objectives were to develop catalytic atom-economic processes accessing and/or incorporating versatile functionality using aryl/heteroaryl acetonitriles as substrates. We report essentially solvent-free [Cp*IrCl2]2 catalyzed redox neutral processes whereby substituted acetonitriles react with primary alcohols to deliver monosubstituted aryl/heteroaryl acetonitriles in excellent yield. We further demonstrate that such processes can be achieved by conventional or microwave heating and that bis- and tris-primary alcohols are also processed efficiently.