Adiponitrile

Adiponitrile is the chemical compound with the formula (CH2)4(CN)2. This dinitrile is an important precursor to the polymer nylon 6.6.

Because of the industrial value of adiponitrile, many routes have been developed for its synthesis. In one method, acrylonitrile is dimerized via electrosynthesis:
 * 2 CH2CHCN +  2 e-  +  2 H+   →  NCCH2CH2CH2CH2CN

It has also been prepared by the nickel-catalysed hydrocyanation of butadiene:
 * 2 CH2CHCHCH2 +  2 HCN   →  NCCH2CH2CH2CH2CN

Adiponitrile can be hydrogenated to 1,6-diaminohexane and hydrolysed to adipic acid.