Malononitrile as a carbonyl synthon: a one-pot preparation of heteroaryl amide via a SNAr-oxidation–displacement strategy

Malononitrile could be utilized as a synthon for the carbonyl moiety via a one-pot process that was initiated via base-mediated SNAr substitution of a heteroaryl halide. Subsequent peracetic acid oxidation of the resultant anion delivered an electrophilic acyl nitrile in situ that readily reacted with added nucleophiles to afford heteroaryl carboxylic acid derivatives. The reaction of the sodium salt of malononitrile with a series of heteroaryl chlorides followed by the subsequent addition of an amine and peracetic acid provided the corresponding heteroaryl amides.