BRAINCAKEReaction with Hydrogen Cyanide
Aldehydes and Ketones react with HCN to give hydroxynitriles. HCN is not used as it is an extremely poisonous gas. Instead KCN or sodium cyanide is acidified with a little sulfuric acid. The solution contains free cyanide ions and some hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from the reaction between the KCN and acid.
Sign in free to see the rest of this lesson, the R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps and the quiz
BrainCake is free. Make an account in seconds and pick up where this page stops.
Key terms in this lesson
- nucleophilic addition
- A reaction mechanism in which a nucleophile donates a lone pair of electrons to the electron-deficient carbon atom of a pi bond, without any group being displaced.
- nucleophile
- An atom or group of atoms that can donate a pair of electrons to form a new covalent bond.
More in Carbonyl Compounds
- Carbonyl Compounds
- Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones
- Reduction of Aldehydes and Ketones
- Silver Mirror Test
- 2,4-DNP Test for Carbonyl Compounds
- Carboxylic Acids
- Esters
- Fats and Oils
All 12 lessons in Carbonyl Compounds · All OCR A-level Organic Chemistry topics