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Propanal reacts with hydrogen cyanide to form 2-hydroxybutanenitrile - CIE - A-Level Chemistry - Question 39 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 39
Propanal reacts with hydrogen cyanide to form 2-hydroxybutanenitrile. A suitable catalyst for this reaction is sodium cyanide. $$ ext{CH}_3 ext{CH}_2 ext{CHO} + ex... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Propanal reacts with hydrogen cyanide to form 2-hydroxybutanenitrile - CIE - A-Level Chemistry - Question 39 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
1. HCN is a weaker nucleophile than the nucleophile provided by NaCN.
Answer
This statement is correct. Sodium cyanide (NaCN) provides the cyanide ion (CN ext{-}), which is a stronger nucleophile compared to HCN. The negative charge on the cyanide ion makes it more reactive towards electrophiles.
Step 2
2. The reaction mechanism involves two steps.
Answer
This statement is correct. The mechanism typically involves two steps: first, the nucleophilic attack by the cyanide ion on the carbonyl carbon of propanal to form a tetrahedral intermediate, and second, the protonation of the intermediate to yield 2-hydroxybutanenitrile.
Step 3