β-Chloro-α-cyano-cinnamonitrile (1) reacts in one step with α-oxo-thioles3 or successively with sodium sulphide and α-chlorocarbonyl compounds4 to form the 5-substituted 4-amino-2-phenyl-thiophene-3-carbonitriles5. Analogously, the successive reactions of β-chloro cinnamonitrile1 with sodium selenide — produced in situ from selene and sodium boronhydride — and α-chlorocarbonyl compounds4 yields the 5-substituted 4-amino-2-phenyl-selenophene-3-carbonitriles6.