Direct hydroacylation of arylacrylonitriles toward β-ketonitriles assisted by an EDA complex†

Here, we present a base-mediated direct hydroacylation reaction of arylacrylonitrile. This method provides an efficient approach for highly site-selective synthesis of β-ketonitriles, demonstrating mild, facile and high atom- and step-economical characteristics. The reaction occurs through a free-radical pathway enabled by an EDA complex in the absence of light.