Construction of Functionalized α‑Imino Ketones via Pd-Catalyzed C–H Addition to Nitriles/Aerobic Oxidation Sequences

Pd­(II)-catalyzed addition of sp² C–H to nitrile/aerobic oxidation sequences for the preparation of functionalized α-imino ketones is described in which readily available heteroarenes and O-acyl cyanohydrins were employed. Various functionalized targeted molecules can be prepared in good yields with high atom and step economy. Moreover, a broad substrate scope and the ready manipulation and availability of the reaction partners enable this protocol to be appealing to explore the chemical space of the construction of functionalized α-imino ketones with high efficiency.