Aminoacetonitrile is the organic compound with the formula H2N−CH2−C≡N. The compound is a colorless liquid. It is unstable at room temperature, owing to the incompatibility of the amine nucleophile and the nitrile electrophile. For this reason it is usually encountered as the chloride and bisulfate salts of the ammonium derivative, i.e., [NCCH2NH3]+Cl− and [NCCH2NH3]+HSO4−.[3]
Production and applications
Industrially aminoacetonitrile is produced from glycolonitrile by reaction with ammonia:
HOCH2CN + NH3 → H2NCH2CN + H2O
The aminoacetonitrile can be hydrolysed to give glycine:[4] Being bifunctional, it is useful in the synthesis of diverse nitrogen-containing heterocycles.[3]
Aminoacetonitrile derivatives are useful antihelmintics. They act as nematode specific ACh agonists[5] causing a spastic paralysis and rapid expulsion from the host.
^Kaminsky, R.; Ducray, P.; Jung, M.; Clover, R.; Rufener, L.; Bouvier, J.; Weber, S. S.; Wenger, A.; Wieland-Berghausen, S.; et al. (2008). "A new class of anthelmintics effective against drug-resistant nematodes". Nature. 452 (7184): 176–180. Bibcode:2008Natur.452..176K. doi:10.1038/nature06722. PMID18337814. S2CID4428834.