Recent Achievements in Organic Reactions in MeCN

Acetonitrile, a colorless liquid, is highly volatile and has a special odor similar to ether. It has excellent solvent properties and can dissolve various organic, inorganic, and gaseous substances. It can undergo many chemical reactions and is used to prepare many typical nitrogen-containing compounds, making it an important organic intermediate. Acetonitrile can be used as a solvent for the synthesis of vitamin A, cortisone, carboamine drugs, and their intermediates, as well as an active medium solvent for the preparation of vitamin B1 and amino acids. Based on the diversity of acetonitrile in participating in chemical reactions, this chapter will introduce recent achievements in organic reactions in acetonitrile from the following three aspects: acetonitrile in transition metal-catalyzed reactions without radicals involved; acetonitrile in transition-metal-free catalyzed reactions without radicals involved; acetonitrile in C–X bond formation with radicals involved.