Electrochemical radical-radical cross-coupling: direct access to β-amino nitriles from unactivated imines and alkyl nitriles

In this article, a direct access to beta-amino nitriles from unactivated imines and alkyl nitriles by electrochemical radical-radical cross-coupling was described for the first time. The use of abundant and inexpensive alkyl nitriles without pre-functionalization for the reductive cyanoalkylation of imines makes the reaction atom- and step-economical. This synthetic strategy provides a green, mild and efficient method for the construction of beta-amino nitrile derivatives.