BRAINCAKEReduction of Nitriles
Nitriles contain the C≡N group. They can be reduced to primary amines, which gives a second route to primary aliphatic amines.
Reducing agents:
• LiAlH4 (lithium tetrahydridoaluminate) in dry ether, a good laboratory method;
• hydrogen with a nickel catalyst (catalytic hydrogenation), used in industry because it is cheaper.
Using [H] to represent the reducing agent, four hydrogen atoms are added across the C≡N triple bond:
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