radiosynthetic method for [11C]aryl nitriles via nickel-mediated carbon-fluorine bond activation is reported. This method enables the efficient ipso-11C-cyanation of a broad range of arylfluorides, including pharmaceutical drugs. Stoichiometric reactions and theoretical studies indicate that LiCl greatly promotes the oxidative addition of arylfluorides to a nickel(0) complex, affording aryl(chloro)nickel(II)