Acetone cyanohydrin

Acetone cyanohydrin is an organic compound used in the production of methyl methacrylate, the monomer of the transparent plastic polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), also known as acrylic. Acetone cyanohydrin is a flammable colourless liquid with a faint odour of bitter almond. It is incompatible with sulphuric acid. Acetone cyanohydrin readily undergoes decomposition by water to form hydrogen cyanide and acetone. Cassava tubers contain linamarin, a glucoside of acetohydrin, and the enzyme linamarinase for hydrolysing the glucoside. Crushing the tubers releases these compounds and produces acetone cyanohydrin, which is potentially lethally toxic. Acetone cyanohydrin is classified as an extremely hazardous substance in the U.S. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to- Know Act. The principal hazards of acetone cyanohydrin arise from its ready decomposition on contact with water, which releases highly toxic hydrogen cyanide.