Synthesis of racemic tertiary cyanohydrins

The addition of TMS-CN to ketones is catalyzed by homo- and heterogeneous catalysts, which are rationally designed by the line of hydrogen bond activation, dual activation, and the general concept of green chemistry. Especially noteworthy is that those approaches could be readily transferred to enantioselective version of the art. This account describes the development of the catalyst and comparison of the catalytic capacity depending on the nature of the catalyst and structural modifications with mechanism elucidation in appropriate position.