Quantitative Synthesis of α-Amino Nitriles through Strecker Reaction of Aldimines with TMSCN Catalyzed by Tetrabutylammonium phthalimide<i>-N-</i>oxyl

Tetrabutylammonium phthalimide-N-oxyl (TBAPINO) was used as an efficient organocatalyst to catalyze the Strecker reaction of diverse aldimines with trimethylsilylcyanide (TMSCN) in EtOH. The reaction proceeded smoothly at room temperature to afford the corresponding α-aminonitriles in quantitative yields under mild reaction conditions.