addition of hydrogen cyanide to form hydroxynitriles

Question 1

What is formed?

Answer 1

= carboynyl => hydroxynitrile

Question 2

What is the reagant?

Answer 2

= sodium cyanide
= NaCN + dilute sulfuric acid

Question 3

What are the conditions?

Answer 3

= room pressure and room temperature

Question 4

What ions are supplied?

Answer 4

= NaCN: CN^- ions
= H2SO4: supplies a H+ ion (acid)

Question 5

Why cant we use HCN?

Answer 5

= toxic gas
= difficult to contain
=

Question 6

What are the advantages of using KCN and NaCN?

Answer 6

= higher concentration of CN- ions
= compiunds will completley ionise
= HCN is a weak acid and will partianlly ionise

Question 7

What is the mechanism?

Answer 7

= the cyanide nucleophile is attracted to the partially positive electron defficient carbon and forms a covalent bond with the C=O bond,
= carbon can only have 4 covalent bonds so one of the bonds of the double C=O bond breaks with both electrons going to oxygen
= the lone pair of electrons with the oxygen are attracted to the H+ ion from the acid and forms a covalnt bond