Benzylamines, obtained by the Mannich reaction on phenols or by reductive alkylation of aldehydes, have been used in place of benzyl chlorides to alkylate cyanide ion to obtain nitriles which may be reduced to phenethylamines. Yields of 4-hydroxy-3- methoxyphenylacetonitrile were about the same from the primary, secondary, and tertiary amines. Benzylamines not having either an ortho or para OH group did not function as ...