Cyanide ion acts as an ambident nucleophile. From which end it acts as a stronger nucleophile in aqueous medium? Give reason for your answer.


Groups like cyanide and nitrile are known as ambident nucleophiles, that is, groups which possess two nucleophilic centers. In the cyanide group, the linking can occur from the carbon end as well as the nitrogen end. In an aqueous medium, the carbon end acts as a stronger nucleophile because it leads to the formation of a C—C bond which is stronger than a N—C bond in the same compound.


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