A Bio-inspired Copper CatalystSystem for Practical Catalytic Cyanation of Aryl Bromides

A general and environmentally improved protocol for the cyanation of aryl halides with the nontoxic cyanide source potassium hexacyanoferrate(II) (K 4 [Fe(CN) 6 ]) using copper catalysis and a ligand system based on l-alkyl-1H -imidazoles is presented. The advantages of this system are a wide substrate range, high selectivity, easy handling, and inexpensive reagents.