Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Nitriles

Nitriles, also known as cyanides, are a class of organic compounds containing a triple bond between a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom. The general formula for nitriles is R-C?N, where R represents an alkyl or aryl group. Nitriles have a wide range of applications, including as solvents, starting materials for the s…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 3 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 2× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2377-2549 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

Nitriles, also known as cyanides, are a class of organic compounds containing a triple bond between a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom. The general formula for nitriles is R-C?N, where R represents an alkyl or aryl group. Nitriles have a wide range of applications, including as solvents, starting materials for the synthesis of drugs and agrochemicals, and as catalysts. Recently, there have been several exciting developments in the field of nitrile chemistry, including the discovery of new methods for their synthesis and the elucidation of their unique properties. One area of particular interest is the use of nitriles as building blocks for the synthesis of complex molecules. Nitriles can undergo a variety of reactions, including hydrolysis and reduction, to yield a diverse array of functional groups. This versatility has led to the development of several new synthetic methodologies, including the use of nitrile oxide cycloadditions and nitrile imine cycloadditions in the preparation of heterocyclic compounds. Another area of active research is the study of the biological activity of nitriles. Several nitrile-containing compounds have shown promise as anti-cancer agents, due to their ability to inhibit specific enzymes. In addition, nitriles have shown antimicrobial activity, making them potential candidates for use in the development of new antibiotics. Overall, the field of nitrile chemistry continues to be an area of active research, with new developments and applications emerging regularly. As scientists continue to study and explore the unique properties of nitriles, we can expect new and exciting discoveries in the years to come.

Research published in this journal

3 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 3 articles above have been cited 2 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Nitriles, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in New Developments in Chemistry (ISSN 2377-2549).

Journal editorial board
Annarita Del Gatto · Italy Bharat Gurale · United States Palani ELUMALAI · United Kingdom

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.