Explain the Reaction
If you treat an aldehyde wiith HCN you produce a cyanohydrin. For example,
H2C=O + HCN equilibrium H2C-C (triple bond) N
l
O-H
However, if you treat formaldehyde (CH2O) with potassium cyanide in water, you will not produce the cyanohydrin. You may even produce C3H6O3 (i.e., dihydroxyacetone and glyceraldehyde). Explain this either in words or reactions.