3794. Ethylene Cyanohydrin

Nomenclature

CAS number: 109-78-4
3-Hydroxypropanenitrile; hydracrylonitrile; glycol cyanohydrin; β-hydroxypropionitrile.
C3H5NO; mol wt 71.08.
C 50.69%, H 7.09%, N 19.71%, O 22.51%.

Description and references

Prepd by the interaction of ethylene chlorohydrin and alkali cyanide: E. C. Kendall, B. McKenzie, Org. Synth. coll. vol. I, 256 (2nd ed., 1941). Toxicity study: H. F. Smyth, C. P. Carpenter, J. Ind. Hyg. Toxicol. 26, 269 (1944).

Chemical structure

Properties

Liquid. d425 1.0404. mp -46°. bp760 228° (slight dec); bp200 178°; bp100 157.7°; bp60 144.7°; bp40 134.1°; bp20 117.9°; bp10 102°; bp5 87.8°; bp1.0 58.7°. nD25 1.4241. Miscible with water, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl alcohol. Slightly sol in ether (2.3% w/w at 15°). Insol in benzene, petr ether, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride. LD50 orally in rats: 10.0 g/kg (Smyth, Carpenter).

Use

Solvent for some cellulose esters and many inorganic salts.