Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Chemistry

Chapter

Organic: Haloalkanes and Haloarenes

Question:

What will be the substitution product formed when AgCN reacts with an alkyl group? 

Options:

Alkyl nitrile

Alkyl cyanide 

Alkyl isonitrile

None of the above 

Correct Answer:

Alkyl isonitrile

Explanation:

Groups like cyanides and nitrites possess two nucleophilic centres and are called ambident nucleophiles. Actually cyanide group is a hybrid of two contributing structures and therefore can act as a nucleophile in two different ways [-CΞN ↔ :C=N-], i.e., linking through carbon atom resulting in alkyl cyanides and through nitrogen atom leading to isocyanides or isonitriles.