The addition of anhydrous cerium chloride to nitrile aldol reactions has been found to provide high yields of β-hydroxynitriles. Also, the aldol reaction of α, β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with nitrile enolates in the presence of cerium chloride affords 1, 2 addition exclusively in good to excellent yields. The organocerium complexes of R-(+)-1, 1′-bi-2- naphthol have successfully mediated the aldol addition of lithio alkyl and arylacetonitriles ...
