Butyronitrile may be prepared by heating

Options

A. propyl alcohol heating with KCN
B. butyl chloride heating with KCN
C. butyl alcohol heating with KCN
D. propyl chloride heating with KCN

Answer

To prepare butyronitrile, we can use the following steps:

### Step 1: Identify the Structure of Butyronitrile
Butyronitrile has the chemical structure CH3-CH2-CH2-C≡N. This indicates that it is a four-carbon chain (butyl group) with a nitrile functional group (C≡N) at the end.

**Hint:** Remember that butyronitrile is a straight-chain nitrile with four carbon atoms.

### Step 2: Analyze the Given Options
We have several options to consider for the preparation of butyronitrile. The options include different alcohols and alkyl halides reacted with potassium cyanide (KCN) under heating conditions.

**Hint:** Look for options that involve alkyl halides, as they are more likely to react with potassium cyanide to form nitriles.

### Step 3: Evaluate Each Option
1. **Option 1: Propyl Alcohol + KCN**
Propyl alcohol does not react with potassium cyanide to form a nitrile because alcohols do not provide a good electrophilic carbon for nucleophilic substitution.

**Hint:** Alcohols typically do not react with KCN unless they are converted to halides first.

2. **Option 2: Butyl Chloride + KCN**
Butyl chloride can react with potassium cyanide. The chlorine atom is a good leaving group, allowing the cyanide ion (a nucleophile) to attack the electrophilic carbon, resulting in butyronitrile.

**Hint:** Look for the presence of a good leaving group in the reactants.

3. **Option 3: Butyl Alcohol + KCN**
Similar to propyl alcohol, butyl alcohol will not react with potassium cyanide to form a nitrile.

**Hint:** Again, alcohols do not react directly with KCN.

4. **Option 4: Propyl Chloride + KCN**
Propyl chloride can also react with potassium cyanide. The reaction will yield propionitrile (not butyronitrile), which is not what we need.

**Hint:** Ensure that the product formed matches the desired compound.

### Step 4: Conclusion
From the analysis, we find that **Option 2 (Butyl Chloride + KCN)** is the correct choice for preparing butyronitrile. The reaction will proceed as follows:

- **Butyl Chloride (C4H9Cl)** reacts with **Potassium Cyanide (KCN)** under heating conditions to produce **Butyronitrile (C4H9CN)**.

**Final Answer:** Butyronitrile may be prepared by heating butyl chloride with potassium cyanide.