Abstract
2-Methyleneglutaronitrile (MGN) is a unique trifunctional compound because of the combination of the vinylidene group with the two cyano groups. It is a useful intermediate in organic syntheses for making polymers, pharmaceuticals and other special chemicals.
Since the early 1960's the catalytic dimerization of acrylonitrile (AN) to MGN has been actively investigated using mainly trivalent phosphorus compounds. However, until a few years ago, MGN had not been industrially used, because an economical way for its production on a large scale did not exist. We now produce MGN on a commercial scale by the dimerization of AN with a catalyst consisting of metal halide and tertiary amine.
This paper describes the preparation and chemistry of MGN with the intention of stimulating future applications. The physical and toxicological properties of MGN are also mentioned briefly.
