Photoredox‐catalyzed Decyanative Radical Cross‐coupling Reactions of Aromatic Nitriles

Abstract (Hetero)arenes are one kind of important structural motifs existed extensively in clinical pharmaceutics, pesticides, and so on. Developing novel method for introducing (hetero)aryl group through the employment of cheap and abundant feedstocks has attracted considerable attentions from synthetic community. In this review, we summarize the recent advancements in photoredox‐catalyzed decyanative cross‐coupling reactions based on the persistent aromatic nitrile‐derived radical. We separate the review into redox‐neutral and reductive cross‐coupling reactions according to whether an external reducing agent is required. The diverse strategies of overcoming the redox potential limitation of photocatalyst are emphasized in the discussion of specific reaction.