We report an efficient method for the preparation of aryl nitriles from aryl chlorides under either microwave assisted or thermal conditions. A catalyst system comprising tris (dibenzylidene acetone) dipalladium (Pd2 (dba) 3) and 2-(2′, 6′-dimethoxybiphenyl) dicyclohexylphosphine (S-Phos) is shown to effectively promote cyanation of various aryl chlorides with Zn (CN) 2 as the cyanide source.