hüdroksinitrile

Hydroxynitrile is a chemical compound containing both a hydroxyl group (-OH) and a nitrile group (-CN) bonded to the same carbon atom. These compounds are also known as cyanohydrins. The general formula for a hydroxynitrile is R1R2C(OH)CN, where R1 and R2 can be hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, or aryl groups. The most common and simplest hydroxynitrile is acetone cyanohydrin, where R1 and R2 are both methyl groups.

Hydroxynitriles are typically formed by the addition reaction of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) to an aldehyde or a ketone. This reaction is a nucleophilic addition where the cyanide ion (CN-) acts as a nucleophile, attacking the electrophilic carbonyl carbon. The reaction is often catalyzed by a base, which deprotonates HCN to form the more nucleophilic cyanide ion.

These compounds are important intermediates in organic synthesis. The nitrile group can be hydrolyzed to a carboxylic acid or reduced to an amine, while the hydroxyl group can be further functionalized. For instance, acetone cyanohydrin is a precursor to methacrylic acid, a monomer used in the production of plastics like Plexiglas. Hydroxynitriles can also exist in equilibrium with their parent carbonyl compound and hydrogen cyanide, and this equilibrium can be shifted depending on conditions. Some hydroxynitriles, particularly those derived from simple aldehydes, can be unstable and readily decompose.