Nitrile (Noun)
Meaning
Any of a class of organic compounds containing the cyano radical -CN.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- Nitriles are highly reactive and often undergo chemical transformations when exposed to acidic or basic conditions.
- Acetonitrile, a type of nitrile, is a commonly used solvent in laboratory settings.
- In the pharmaceutical industry, nitriles are frequently employed as intermediates in the synthesis of various medicinal compounds.
- Some types of nitriles exhibit antimicrobial properties and are thus of great interest in the development of novel antibiotics.
- The industrial-scale production of adiponitrile, a type of nitrile, has significantly improved over the years, driven by advancements in chemical engineering techniques.