Author: Subject: Why the nitrile groups are unreactive in polyacrylonitrile?

Why the nitrile groups are unreactive in polyacrylonitrile?





Nitrile group is reactive and can undergo hydrolysis easily. But the nitrile groups in polyacrylonitrile are not. What might be the reason?



Is it due to hydrophobic nature of hydrocarbon chain?



Adi







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Quote: Originally posted by adianadiadi Nitrile group is reactive and can undergo hydrolysis easily. But the nitrile groups in polyacrylonitrile are not. What might be the reason?

Could the reason perhaps be in that poly acrylonitrile is a polymer?

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posted on 13-3-2011 at 11:41





The nitrile group is not that reactive and the fact that the polymer will not dissolve means that ionic reagents like strong acids that would be expected to hydrolyse the nitrile groups find it hard to attack the material.

Insolubility is a great obstacle to chemical reactivity, sodium chloride is very reactive in aqueous solution but a suspension of salt in methanol is extremely unreactive.