EVERAL methods have been proposed for the identifica-S tion of nitriles (1, 2, 8). The authors have found that adaptation of the well-known method of reduction of nitriles to primary amines by sodium and absolute alcohol gives a practical method for the identification of aliphatic nitriles. Aromatic nitriles do not give such good results, but this class can usually be readily determined by hydrolysis to the corresponding amide or acid.