Cyanohydrins are functional groups that can exist as separate compounds and are important for industrial applications. They consist of a cyanide group, hydroxyl group, carbon atom, and two subunits. They can be prepared using cyanide or nitrile compounds. Some cyanohydrins, such as acetone cyanhydrin, are toxic and dangerous. Natural cyanohydrins found in stone fruit kernels can be harmful if ingested in large quantities.
A cyanohydrin is a chemical unit known as a functional group. In chemistry, a functional group is a distinct unit of atoms that are part of the structure of larger molecules, but can also exist as separate compounds. Functional groups act as a unit during chemical reactions and will be similarly affected during chemical reactions, regardless of which chemical compound they may be a part of. Cyanohydrins, some of which occur naturally, are organic compounds and are important for many industrial applications such as the production of carboxyls and amino acids.
The term cyanohydrin derives from the units that make up this molecule. Each cyanohydrin consists of a cyanide group (CN), a hydroxyl group (OH), a carbon atom (C), and two other subunits, which can be either hydrogen atoms (H) or one of two chemical groups (R) called alkyls and aryls. For this reason, the general chemical formula of any cyanohydrin is written as R2H(OH)CN.
Ketones and aldehydes, which are two classes of organic molecules, when combined with a cyanide or a nitrile, can result in the formation of cyanohydrins. Cyanides and nitriles are chemicals that have a cyanide group or a nitrile group as part of their chemical structure, both of which contain a hydrogen atom and a carbon atom, but bonded in different ways. Hydrogen cyanide, one of the most common cyanides, is an extremely toxic chemical. Many people mistakenly assume that cyanide is just a chemical, but there are actually several cyanides, including sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide, all of which can be used to make cyanohydrins. Cyanohydrins can be prepared in a number of ways using cyanide or nitrile compounds, sometimes in combination.
Many of the more common cyanohydrines are themselves toxic or otherwise dangerous. Acetone cyanhydrin, which is used in the production of acrylics and other chemicals, such as pesticides, is very dangerous. It is a skin and eye irritant, can be fatal if its fumes are inhaled, and is also an explosion hazard. Some natural cyanohydrins such as mandelonitrile and amygdalin are found in very small quantities in the kernels of some stone fruits, such as some plums and apricots. These compounds are not usually found in large enough quantities to be dangerous, but if ingested in large quantities they can be harmful or fatal.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
