Recyclable and Reusable Pd(OAc)2/XPhos–SO3Na/PEG-400/H2O System for Cyanation of Aryl Chlorides with Potassium Ferrocyanide

Pd(OAc) 2 /XPhos–SO 3 Na in a mixture of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-400) and water is shown to be a highly efficient catalyst for the cyanation of aryl chlorides with potassium ferrocyanide. The reaction proceeded smoothly at 100 or 120 ºC with K 2 CO 3 or KOAc as base, delivering a variety of aromatic nitriles in good to excellent yields. The isolation of the crude products is facilely performed by extraction with cyclohexane and more importantly, both expensive Pd(OAc) 2 and XPhos–SO 3 Na in PEG-400/H 2 O system could be easily recycled and reused at least six times without any apparent loss of catalytic efficiency. Graphical Abstract Palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl chlorides with potassium ferrocyanide leading to aryl nitriles by using Pd(OAc) 2 /XPhos–SO 3 Na/PEG-400/H 2 O as a highly efficient and recyclable catalytic system is described.