Anyone knows that the nitrile group is electron withdrawing thus the methyl carbon wont be elctronegative enough to attack the carbonyl carbon.
Please, explain something to an ignorant!
I always thought that -NO2 group, as well as -CHO - was also electron-withdrawing... And both nitroalkanes and aldehydes condense w/ald's perfectly well...
Of course, that doesn't knit w/the fact that the carbon atom of -CHO IS electropositive and thus it would bee natural to assume one'd need smth nucleophyllic to attach it there...
Please, bear w/SWIM - he has very little knowledge of theoretic chemistry :-[
Antoncho
Patent US5208002 (http://l2.espacenet.com/dips/viewer?PN=US5208002&CY=gb&LG=en&DB=EPD)
andPatent US5098597 (http://l2.espacenet.com/dips/viewer?PN=US5098597&CY=gb&LG=en&DB=EPD)
describe a facile preparation of NaN3 from MeONO2 and hydrazine hydrate.