The unprecedented gold-mediated activation of nitriles is reported. A [(NHC)AuI]-based catalytic system was found to be efficient for the nitrile hydration reaction of a broad spectrum of substrates that includes aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic examples.
![Gold activation of nitriles: Catalytic hydration to amides](https://www.iciq.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Gold-activation-of-nitriles_8695.gif)