Acetohydroxamic acid: a new reagent for efficient synthesis of nitriles directly from aldehydes using Bi(OTf)3 as the catalyst

An efficient method for the preparation of nitriles directly from aldehydes by reaction with AHA using Bi(OTf)3 as the catalyst is described. Bi(OTf)3 is shown to be an efficient catalyst also for the conversion of aldoximes into nitriles.