Microwave-enhanced and ligand-free copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides with K4[Fe(CN)6] in water

Copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides was improved to be more economical and environmentally friendly by using water as the solvent and ligand-free Cu(OAc)2·H2O as the catalyst under microwave heating. The suggested methodology was applicable to a wide range of substrates including aryl iodides and activated aryl bromides.