Mild Palladium-Catalyzed Cyanation of (Hetero)aryl Halides and Triflates in Aqueous Media

A mild, efficient, and low-temperature palladium-catalyzed cyanation of (hetero)aryl halides and triflates is reported. Previous palladium-catalyzed cyanations of (hetero)aryl halides have required higher temperatures to achieve good catalytic activity. This current reaction allows the cyanation of a general scope of (hetero)aryl halides and triflates at 25 mol % catalyst loadings with temperatures ranging from rt to 40 degrees C. This mild method was applied to the synthesis of lersivirine, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor.