Question

Phenylacetaldehyde is partly responsible for the fragrance of the flowers of the plumeria tree, which is native to the tropical and subtropical Americas. Draw the product formed when phenylacetaldehyde (C6H5CH2CHO) is treated with NaCN and HCl.

Answer 1

Answer:

Cyanohydrin

Explanation:

Step 1:

The nucleophilic C in the cyanide adds to the electrophilic C in the polar carbonyl group, electrons from the C=O move to the electronegative O creating an intermediate alkoxide

Step 2:

An acid/base reaction. Protonation of the alkoxide oxygen creates the cyanohydrin product.