A new efficient method for synthesising nitriles, important organic reagents, is reported in this paper. In an environmentally benign solvent-free system, aryl carboxylic acids were converted into the corresponding nitriles via one-pot reactions, by amidation with ethyl carbamate followed by dehydration with thionyl chloride, in excellent yields. The results showed that the method has the advantages of lower cost, higher yield, less pollution and greater ease of work-up. (c) 2008 Society of Chemical Industry.