A theoretical study of imine hydrocyanation catalyzed by halogen-bonding.

A detailed theoretical study of the mechanism and energetics of an organocatalysis based on C=N activation by halogen-bonding is presented for the hydrocyanation of N-benzylidenemethylamine. The calculations at the level of scalar-relativistic gradient-corrected density functional theory give an insight in this catalytic concept and provide information on the characteristics of four different monodentate catalyst candidates acting as halogen-bond donors during the reaction.