Rhodium-Catalyzed Directed C–H Cyanation of Arenes with <i>N-</i>Cyano‑<i>N</i>‑phenyl‑<i>p</i>‑toluenesulfonamide

A Rh-catalyzed directed C–H cyanation reaction was developed for the first time as a practical method for the synthesis of aromatic nitriles. N-Cyano-N-phenyl-p-toluenesulfonamide, a user-friendly cyanation reagent, was used in the transformation. Many different directing groups can be used in this C–H cyanation process, and the reaction tolerates a variety of synthetically important functional groups.