Results Reaction of Nitriles Possessing one a Hydrogen. When 2-methylpropionitrile (la) was allowed to react with thionyl chloride (3 equiv) in the presence of an excess of hydrogen chloride (ca. 6 equiv) at Oo for 7 days using diethyl ether as a solvent, a-cyano-a- methylethanesulfinyl chloride (2a) was obtained in 50% yield (based on the nitrile), and 37% of the starting nitrile was recovered.
