Reaction Summary
Reagents
- Hydrogen cyanide,
Conditions
- Room temperature
Catalyst
- Trace
/ (source of nucleophile)
Chemical Equation
Equation
By-Products
- None
Observations
Observations
- No visible change (colourless liquid/solution throughout)
⚠️ 9701 Exam Notes / Pitfalls
Warning
- Symmetrical ketones (e.g. propanone) give an achiral product; unsymmetrical ones (e.g. butanone) give a racemic mixture.
- Must state trace
/ . - Chain extended by one carbon; hydrolysis of the nitrile then gives a 2-hydroxycarboxylic acid.