Cyanohydrin

Definition

A cyanohydrin is an organic compound containing both a hydroxyl (-OH) and a nitrile (CN) group attached to the same carbon atom, typically formed by the reaction of hydrogen cyanide with aldehydes or ketones. This formation is a nucleophilic addition reaction where the cyanide ion acts as the nucleophile.

Related terms

Nucleophilic addition: A type of chemical reaction where a nucleophile forms a bond with an electrophile, resulting in the addition of elements to a compound.

Aldehydes:

Organic compounds characterized by the presence of a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to at least one hydrogen atom, making them highly reactive in nucleophilic addition reactions.

Ketones:

Organic compounds featuring a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms, also susceptible to nucleophilic additions by various nucleophiles including cyanide ions