text: The Minisci reaction () is a named reaction in organic chemistry. It is a nucleophilic radical substitution to an electron deficient aromatic compound, most commonly the introduction of an alkyl group to a nitrogen containing heterocycle. The reaction was published in 1971 by F. Minisci. In the case of  N-Heterocycles, the conditions must be acidic to ensure protonation of said heterocycle. A typical reaction is that between pyridine and pivalic acid with silver nitrate, sulfuric acid and ammonium persulfate to form 2-tert-butylpyridine. The reaction resembles Friedel-Crafts alkylation but with opposite reactivity and selectivity.
  The Minisci reaction often produces a mixture of regioisomers that can complicate product purification, but modern reaction conditions are incredibly mild, allowing a wide range of alkyl groups to be introduced. Depending on the radical source used, one side-reaction is acylation, with the ratio between alkylation and acylation depending on the substrate and the reaction conditions. Due to the inexpensive raw materials and simple reaction conditions, the Minisci reaction has found many applications in heterocyclic chemistry.