Acetone Cyanohydrins
Acetone cyanohydrin, (CH3)2C(OH)CN is the cyanohydrin of acetone. It is generated as an intermediate in the industrial production of methyl methacrylate. In the laboratory, this liquid serves as a source of HCN, which is inconveniently volatile. Thus, acetone cyanohydrin can be used for the preparation of other cyanohydrins, for the transformation of HCN to Michael acceptors, and for the formylation of arenes. Treatment of this cyanohydrin with lithium hydride affords anhydrous lithium cyanide:
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