A new and convenient synthesis of alkyl and aryl pyrimidines

Vinyl triflates 1, which are obtained easily from the corresponding ketones, react in an excess of pure nitrile (80°/20 hours) to form tri‐ and tetra‐substituted alkyl and arylpyrimidines 4 and 5 in good yields (45–87%). An isomeric mixture of pyrimidines 4 and 5 is formed from Inflate 1 when R1 ≠ R2 ≠ H. The reaction proceeds by nitrile‐catalyzed elimination‐addition mechanism.