acetaldehyde reacts with a mixture of KCN and `NH_(4)Cl` to give a product X which upon hydrolysis yields alanine. The products X is

Options

A. an aminonitrile
B. a cyanohydrin
C. an aminoalcohol
D. a chlorohydrin

Answer

To solve the problem, we need to analyze the reaction between acetaldehyde, KCN (potassium cyanide), and NH4Cl (ammonium chloride), and identify the product X that leads to alanine upon hydrolysis.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
The reactants in this reaction are acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), potassium cyanide (KCN), and ammonium chloride (NH4Cl).

2. **Understand the Reaction Type**:
This reaction is a type of Strecker synthesis, which is commonly used to synthesize amino acids from aldehydes or ketones in the presence of cyanide and ammonium salts.

3. **Reaction Mechanism**:
- Acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) reacts with KCN and NH4Cl.
- The cyanide ion (CN-) from KCN attacks the carbonyl carbon of acetaldehyde, leading to the formation of a cyanohydrin intermediate.
- The ammonium ion (NH4+) from NH4Cl provides an amine group to the reaction.

4. **Formation of Product X**:
The product formed from this reaction is an amino nitrile (or amino nitrile compound), which can be represented as CH3CH(NH2)C≡N. This compound is known as amino nitrile.

5. **Hydrolysis of Product X**:
Upon hydrolysis (reaction with water), the amino nitrile undergoes hydrolysis to yield alanine (NH2CH(CH3)COOH). The hydrolysis process involves the addition of water and typically an acid catalyst (H+) to convert the nitrile group into a carboxylic acid while retaining the amine group.

6. **Final Product**:
The final product after hydrolysis is alanine, which confirms that the product X is indeed the amino nitrile.

### Conclusion:
The product X formed from the reaction of acetaldehyde with KCN and NH4Cl is **amino nitrile**.

### Answer:
The product X is **amino nitrile**.

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