Copper‐Catalyzed Cleavage of Aryl C(OH)−C Bonds to Access Aryl Nitriles

It was found that aryl nitriles could be synthetized by cleavage of aryl C(OH)−C bonds in the presence of oxygen gas, (NH4)2CO3 and Cu(OAc)2. The present protocol allowed various secondary aryl alcohols to undergo the present transformation to give aryl nitriles in low to high yields. Lignin‐related β‐O‐4 and β‐1 linkages could be converted to benzonitriles under the present conditions, which provides an avenue to obtain value nitrile products via fragmentation of lignin. It was found that aryl nitriles could be synthetized by cleavage of aryl C(OH)−C bonds in the presence of oxygen gas, (NH4)2CO3 and Cu(OAc)2. The present protocol allowed various secondary aryl alcohols to undergo the present transformation to give aryl nitriles in low to high yields. Lignin‐related β‐O‐4 and β‐1 linkage could be converted to benzonitriles under the present conditions, which will provide an avenue to obtain value nitrile product via fragmentation of lignin.