BRAINCAKEHydrolysis of Nitriles to Carboxylic Acids
A nitrile can also be converted into a carboxylic acid by hydrolysis, a reaction in which water breaks bonds in the molecule.
OCR's conditions are to heat the nitrile with dilute aqueous acid, for example dilute hydrochloric acid, HCl(aq). The C≡N group becomes a −COOH group and the nitrogen is released as an ammonium ion:
R−CN + 2H2O + H+ → R−COOH + NH4+
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Key terms in this lesson
- nitrile
- A compound containing the -C≡N functional group, often made by reacting a haloalkane with cyanide ions.
More in Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation
- Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation
- Nitriles from Haloalkanes
- Hydroxynitriles from Carbonyls
- Reduction of Nitriles to Amines
- Extending Carbon Chains on Benzene
- Amides
- Naming Amides
All 8 lessons in Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation · All OCR A-level Organic Chemistry topics