A research group led by Prof. Jiao Ning at Peking University State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs found nitromethane could serve as a nitrogen donor in Schmidt-like reactions. The finding was published December 5 on Science online (see full text at https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2019/12/04/science.aay9501). In the study, cascade activation strategy was applied to nitromethane, a common solvent, to produce amides and nitriles, representing an innovative way to form these two important compounds.

　　Prof. Zhou Qilin of Nankai University said the new pathway described in the study was safer and more efficient. Prof. Xi Zhenfeng of Peking University echoed this point, and called the finding a breakthrough in nitrogenation. Prof. Ding Kuiling of Shanghai Jiao Tong University said the new pathway, inspired by the Nef process, circumvented the use of azide reagents and therefore went a long way to making Schmidt-like reactions more friendly to the environment.

　　Written by: Fan Xiaofei

　　Edited by: Liu Xin

　　Source: State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs