adiponitrile

noun

ad·​i·​po·​ni·​trile

¦a-də-(ˌ)pō-ˈnī-trəl,

ˌtrēl,

-ˌtrī(-ə)l

plural -s

: the high-boiling liquid dinitrile NC(CH₂)₄CN of adipic acid made from 1,4-dichlorobutane and sodium cyanide and used to make the nylon intermediate hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid

called also tetramethylene cyanide

Word History

Etymology

adip- + nitrile

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

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