Properties of Nitriles

Why are the physical properties, such boiling point and solubility, of an alkanenitrile so similar to that of a primary alkanol with the same number of carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain?
Why do alkanenitriles react with so many different reactants?
AUS-e-TUTE has just added new resources to help you understand the physical and chemical properties or alkanenitriles.
AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to use the new tutorial, game and test (with worked solutions).
If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE Member you can access a "free-to-view" tutorial at https://www.ausetute.com.au/nitriles.html

Naming Nitriles

How do you name a molecule like H-C≡N?
If you are an inorganic chemist you might call it:

• hydrogen cyanide (hydrogen name)
• hydridonitridocarbon (additive name)
• methylidyneazane (substitutive name)

If you are an organic chemist you might call it:

• hydrogen cyanide (functional class name)
• formonitrile (preferred IUPAC name)
• methanenitrile (substitutive name) 

The CN functional group at the end of a hydrocarbon chain results in a molecule that belongs to a class of organic compounds called nitriles. All nitriles contain a terminal CN group known as the cyano functional group.
AUS-e-TUTE has a new tutorial, game and test to help our members understand and apply IUPAC naming rules to nitriles. Members should log-in to use these new resources.

If you are not a member of AUS-e-TUTE you can access a "free-to-view" tutorial on naming nitriles at https://www.ausetute.com.au/namnitrile.html