Transition metal-catalysed addition reactions to nitriles have received considerable attention as a potential tool for the synthesis of amines and amides. 1–4 We recently reported the copper-catalysed pyrrolinone synthesis from carbonyl-ene-nitriles and nucleophiles, in which hydration of a cyano moiety followed by dehydrative cyclisation (cycloisomerisation) produced 2-aza-2,4-cyclopentadienone as an intermediate. 5 Although several transition metal- ...
