(i) Thrope nitrile condensation: Self condensation of two molecules of alkyl nitrile (containing α—H atom) in the presence of sodium to form iminonitrile.
(ii) Levine and Hauser acetylation: The nitriles containing α-hydrogen also undergo condensation with esters in the presence of sodamide in ether to form ketonitriles. This reaction is known as “Levine and Hauser” acetylation. This reaction involves replacement of ethoxy (OC2H5) group by methylnitrile (-CH2CN) group and is called as cyanomethylation reaction.
