A novel unexpected anionic domino process involving n-BuLi-induced rearrangement of 3, 3- bis (methylthio) or 3-methylthio-3-aryl/heteroaryl/alkyl-o-bromoarylacrylonitriles to o- cyanoarylacetylenes in synthetically useful yields has been reported. The scope and generality of the reaction has been examined, and a possible mechanism has been proposed.
[Funder, Erik Daa; Jensen, Anne Bjornskov; Torring, Thomas; Kodal, Anne Louise Bank; Azcargorta, Ane Rebolledo; Gothelf, Kurt Vesterager Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2012 , vol. 77, # 7 p. 3134 - 3142]