A Cyanide‐Free Synthesis of Acylcyanides through Ru‐Catalyzed C(sp3)‐H‐Oxidation of Benzylic Nitriles

Abstract A practical method for generation of acylcyanides devoid of any external cyanide sources is presented that relies on a mild Ru‐catalyzed selective C−H‐oxidation of benzylic nitriles. The starting materials are smoothly generated through condensation of the corresponding carboxylic acid amides using silanes. The obtained acylcyanides can be employed in a plethora of transformation as exemplified to some larger extend in the sequence of C−H‐oxidation‐Tischenko‐rearrangement for the generation of structurally diverse benzoyloxycyanohydrines.