Nitriles
Nitriles
Formula
RX + KCN → RCN + KX
Real World
Adiponitrile (a dinitrile) is produced on an industrial scale by Invista to manufacture nylon-6,6 — the nitrile groups are hydrolysed to carboxylic acids that form the polymer backbone in clothing and carpets.
Exam Focus
When drawing nitrile mechanisms, always show the lone pair on CN⁻ attacking the δ+ carbon of the halogenoalkane.
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