[CH3:1][C:2]([C:6]1[CH:11]=[CH:10][C:9]([CH3:12])=[CH:8][CH:7]=1)([CH3:5])[C:3]#[N:4].C[N:14](C=O)C>O.[C-]#N.[C-]#N.[Zn+2].C1C=CC([P]([Pd]([P](C2C=CC=CC=2)(C2C=CC=CC=2)C2C=CC=CC=2)([P](C2C=CC=CC=2)(C2C=CC=CC=2)C2C=CC=CC=2)[P](C2C=CC=CC=2)(C2C=CC=CC=2)C2C=CC=CC=2)(C2C=CC=CC=2)C2C=CC=CC=2)=CC=1>[C:3]([C:2]([C:6]1[CH:7]=[CH:8][C:9]([C:12]#[N:14])=[CH:10][CH:11]=1)([CH3:1])[CH3:5])#[N:4]2-methyl-2-(4-methylphenyl)propanenitrile (3.51 g, 15.7 mmol) is dissolved in dry DMF (10 mL). Zn(CN)2 (2.02 g, 17.2 mmol) and Pd(PPh3)4 (906 mg, 5 mol %) are added and the mixture heated at 100° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture is diluted with water and the solid recovered by filtration. The solid residue is dissolved in methanol, filtered to remove insoluble impurities, concentrated under vacuo and purified by normal phase MPLC (SiO2, hexane to EtOAc), giving 4-(1-cyano-1-methylethyl)benzonitrile (2.28 g, 13.4 mmol, 85%) as a white solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.70 (s, 6H) 7.73 (dt, J=8.64, 2.03 Hz, 2H) 7.92 (dt, J=8.69, 2.00 Hz, 2H).
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