Skeletal rearrangement of cyano-substituted iminoisobenzofurans into alkyl 2-cyanobenzoates catalyzed by B(C6F5)3.

An efficient method for the direct conversion of cyano-substituted iminoisobenzofurans into their corresponding alkyl 2-cyanobenzoates has been developed. This transformation proceeds via cleavage of C-C, C-O, and C-N bonds in starting iminoisobenzofurans. DFT study revealed that intermediate α-iminonitriles are produced in situ via C-C bond formation between 2-iminium benzoates and a cyanide ion. Generation of isocyanide as the byproduct in a more thermodynamic manner in DFT calculations also supports the experimental results.