Indium tribromide: a highly effective catalyst for the addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to α-hetero-substituted ketones

The catalytic addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) to a large variety of hetero-substituted ketones promoted by anhydrous InBr3 has been studied. The low catalytic loading (0.1–1 mol%) and the mild experimental conditions required represent the key features of this novel catalytic system.