Chemistry:Cyanohydrin reaction

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Short description: Addition reaction of carbonyl compounds and cyanide
Cyanohydrin reaction
Named after Friedrich Urech
Reaction type Addition reaction

In organic chemistry, a cyanohydrin reaction is an organic reaction in which an aldehyde (–CH=O) or ketone (>C=O) reacts with a cyanide anion (N≡C
) or a nitrile (–C≡N) to form a cyanohydrin (>C(OH)C≡N). For example:

RCH=O+RCNRA2C(OH)CN

This nucleophilic addition is a reversible reaction but with aliphatic carbonyl compounds equilibrium is in favor of the reaction products. The cyanide source can be potassium cyanide (KCN), sodium cyanide (NaCN) or trimethylsilyl cyanide ((CH
3
)
3
SiCN
). With aromatic aldehydes such as benzaldehyde, the benzoin condensation is a competing reaction. The reaction is used in carbohydrate chemistry as a chain extension method for example that of D-xylose.

Examples

Reaction of acetone with sodium cyanide to hydroxyacetonitrile
Reaction of benzoquinone with trimethylsilylcyanide, catalyst KCN is introduced as a 1:1 complex with the Crown ether 18-crown-6


Reaction mechanism

Mechanism of the cyanohydrin reaction
Mechanism of the cyanohydrin reaction

Asymmetric synthesis

The asymmetric cyanohydrin reaction of benzaldehyde with trimethylsilylcyanide is made possible by employment of (R)-Binol[1] at 1–10% catalyst loading. This ligand firsts reacts with a lithium alkoxy compound to form a lithium binaphtholate Complex.

Asymmetric reaction of benzaldehyde with (R)–Binol–lithium(i-propyloxy) gives (S)-acetonitrile with 98% ee
Asymmetric reaction of benzaldehyde with (R)–Binol–lithium(i-propyloxy) gives (S)-acetonitrile with 98% ee
Asymmetric reaction of benzaldehyde with (R)–Binol–lithium(i-propyloxy) gives (S)-acetonitrile with 98% ee

The chemist Urech in 1872 was the first to synthesize cyanohydrins from ketones with alkali cyanides and acetic acid[2] and therefore this reaction also goes by the name of Urech cyanohydrin method.

References

  1. Hatano, Manabu; Ikeno, Takumi; Miyamoto, Takashi; Ishihara, Kazuaki (2005). "Chiral Lithium Binaphtholate Aqua Complex as a Highly Effective Asymmetric Catalyst for Cyanohydrin Synthesis". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127 (31): 10776–77. doi:10.1021/ja051125c. PMID 16076152. Bibcode2005JAChS.12710776H. 
  2. Urech, Friedrich (1872). "Ueber einige Cyanderivate des Acetons". Liebigs Ann. 164 (2): 255. doi:10.1002/jlac.18721640207. https://zenodo.org/record/1427311.