One-pot synthesis of α-aminonitriles from alkyl and aryl cyanides: a Strecker reaction via aldimine alanes

A one-pot Strecker reaction using various alkyl, arylalkyl and arylnitriles is developed. Aldimine alanes were generated in situ from nitriles by the addition of diisobutylaluminium hydride, and were converted into the corresponding imines on reaction with (S)-(−)-1-phenylethylamine. Nucleophilic addition to the imines in the presence of catalytic triethylamine, using acetone cyanohydrin as a cyanide source, provided α-aminonitriles.