Study of the reactivity of 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile with Ni(0)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

A series of fluorinated and non-fluorinated N-heterocyclic carbenes were used for the catalytic isomerization of 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, producing mainly a mixture of E- and Z-2M2BN, i.e., the CH bond cleavage products.