Methyl cyanide on hydrolysis gives

Options

A. Methyl amine
B. Acetic acid
C. Formic acid
D. Ethyl amine

Answer

To solve the question "Methyl cyanide on hydrolysis gives," we will follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the Chemical Structure of Methyl Cyanide
Methyl cyanide, also known as acetonitrile, has the chemical formula \( \text{CH}_3\text{CN} \). It can be represented as:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{CN} \]

### Step 2: Understand Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction involving the breaking down of a compound by water. In the case of methyl cyanide, it will undergo hydrolysis in the presence of water and an acid (or base) to yield different products.

### Step 3: Perform Partial Hydrolysis
When methyl cyanide undergoes hydrolysis, it first forms an intermediate product called acetamide (or ethanamide). The reaction can be represented as:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{CN} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{C(O)NH}_2 \]
This means that methyl cyanide reacts with water to form acetamide.

### Step 4: Perform Complete Hydrolysis
Upon further hydrolysis, acetamide can be hydrolyzed to produce acetic acid and ammonia:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{C(O)NH}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{COOH} + \text{NH}_3 \]
Here, acetamide reacts with water to yield acetic acid (ethanoic acid) and ammonia.

### Step 5: Identify the Major Product
From the complete hydrolysis of methyl cyanide, the major product formed is acetic acid (ethanoic acid).

### Conclusion
Thus, the final answer to the question "Methyl cyanide on hydrolysis gives" is:
**Acetic Acid (Option 2)**

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