Metal-mediated and metal-catalyzed hydrolysis of nitriles

The metal-mediated and/or metal-catalyzed reactions of RCN species are reviewed with particular emphasis on (i) various factors which affect the metal-mediated hydrolysis of organonitriles and (ii) unusual conversions of RCN species, yet underdeveloped and non-systematic, which invlove hydrolysis and lead to compounds of synthetic and/or pharmacological significance.