Question

What is the action of hydrogen cyanide on the following?

Acetone

Answer 1

Action of HCN on acetone: When acetone is treated with hydrogen cyanide, acetone cyanohydrin is formed.

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\phantom{...}\ce{CH3}\phantom{.......................}\ce{CH3}\\
\phantom{.}|\phantom{...........................}|\\
\ce{\underset{Acetone}{CH3 - C} = O + HCN ->[OH^-] CH3 - C - OH}\\
\phantom{............................}|\\
\phantom{..............................}\ce{\underset{Acetone Cyanohydrin}{CN}}
\end{array}\]