Scientific seminar of post-doc Najoua Sbei «A facile one pot synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-1-carbonitrile via the electrogenerated acetonitrile»

The nitrogen heterocycle presents a very important use in the pharmaceutical and agrochemicals synthesis. In this case the substituted tetrahydroisoquinoline has a broad range of biologicals activities.

The synthetic study of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-1-carbonitrile was reported in different condition by using the cyanopotassium (KCN) with 2-methyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2-ium iodide in acetonitrile.4,5 In this work our approach is focused mainly on developing new and safe strategy for the conversion of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2-ium iodide substrates into these highly valuable 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-1-carbonitrile derivatives that proceeds through a process with good yield and is promoted by a high current efficiency EGB  (as shown in the scheme).

This method has the advantages i) very easy and simple procedure, ii) the formation of the final product is very fast on one pot synthesis iii) no need to add oxidative reagents.