Optical Enantiodifferentiation of Chiral Nitriles.

Chiroptical sensing of nitriles is achieved with excellent functional group tolerance by hydrozirconation and subsequent transmetalation of the corresponding iminate to a chromophoric palladium complex. A one-pot workflow that uses the Schwartz reagent and [(η-1--butylindenyl)(μ-Cl)Pd] as sensor generates a palladium complex displaying red-shifted CD inductions and characteristic UV changes. These chiroptical responses are accurately correlated to the enantiomeric ratio and total concentration of the original nitrile.