Iron-catalyzed reductive strecker reaction.

Reductive Strecker reaction of formamides to afford amino-acetonitriles was achieved via FeI 2 -catalysis. [Display omitted] • A new method to access amino acetonitriles using FeI 2 catalyst. • Better yields obtained than the use of Ir- or Rh-catalysts. • One pot synthesis of 13C-labelled amino acetonitriles from 13C-CO 2. • Successful application toward modular synthesis of acids, amines, heterocycles, etc. Strecker reaction is widely applied for the synthesis of amino acids from aldehydes, amines and cyanides. Herein, we report the FeI 2 -catalyzed reductive Strecker type reaction of formamides instead of aldehydes to produce amino acetonitriles. The challenging capture of carbinolamine intermediates by CN− was achieved via Fe catalysis. This approach afforded better yields than the use of Ir- or Rh-catalysts. The application ability of this methodology is demonstrated by 1) one-pot construction of (13C labeled) complex molecules from CO 2 via amino acetonitrile intermediates and 2) convenient production of homologated carboxylic acids from aldehydes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]