Synthesis of 2-Aminonicotinonitriles via Photodecarboxylation of Azirine-2-Carboxylic Acids

2-Aminonicotinonitriles represent an important class of heterocycles with diverse biological activities. Herein, we report an unexpected photochemical transformation of azirine-2-carboxylic acids leading to the formation of 2-aminonicotinonitrile derivatives. Optimization of the reaction conditions enabled the synthesis of the target products in moderate yields. The structure of the obtained product was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, HRMS, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.