direct synthesis process. The optimized reaction conditions showed an excellent applicability for the synthesis of a range of 4-cyanofuroxans. 3-Cyanofuroxans, known to be thiol-mediated nitric oxide donors, could also be obtained by the thermal or photochemical isomerization of 4-cyanofuroxans. The developed cyanation of furoxans is a rare example of CC bond-forming reaction on a furoxanring.