`CH_(3)CN` is known as acetonitrile because

Options

A. It contains an aceto group
B. On hydrolysis it gives acetic acid
C. Both a and b
D. None of these

Answer

To understand why CH₃CN is known as acetonitrile, we can break down the name and the structure of the compound step by step.

### Step 1: Analyze the Molecular Structure
- The molecular formula CH₃CN consists of a carbon (C) atom, a nitrogen (N) atom, and hydrogen (H) atoms.
- The structure can be represented as follows:
- CH₃ (methyl group) is attached to a carbon atom that is also connected to a nitrogen atom (C≡N).

### Step 2: Identify the Functional Groups
- In the compound CH₃CN, the presence of the nitrile functional group (-C≡N) is significant.
- The nitrile group is characterized by a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom.

### Step 3: Understand the Naming Convention
- The name "acetonitrile" is derived from the combination of "acet-" and "nitrile."
- "Acet-" refers to the acetyl group (derived from acetic acid, CH₃COOH), which contains a methyl group (CH₃).
- The suffix "-nitrile" indicates the presence of the nitrile functional group.

### Step 4: Conclusion
- Therefore, CH₃CN is called acetonitrile because it contains an acetyl group (CH₃) bonded to a nitrile group (C≡N).

### Final Answer
CH₃CN is known as acetonitrile because it consists of a methyl group (acetyl) bonded to a nitrile functional group.

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