Facile dehydration of primary amides to nitriles catalyzed by lead salts: The anionic ligand matters

Abstract The synthesis of nitrile under mild conditions was achieved via dehydration of primary amide using lead salts as catalyst. The reaction processes were intensified by not only adding surfactant but also continuously removing the only by-product, water from the system. Both aliphatic and aromatic nitriles can be prepared in this manner with moderate to excellent yields. The reaction mechanisms were obtained with high-level quantum chemical calculations, and the crucial role the anionic ligand plays in the transformations were revealed.