Final answer:
To produce hexanenitrile from 1-chloropentane, a cyanide ion from a compound like sodium cyanide (NaCN) or potassium cyanide (KCN) is needed for a nucleophilic substitution reaction, replacing the chlorine atom with a cyano group.
Step-by-step explanation:
To produce hexanenitrile from 1-chloropentane, you need to perform a series of reactions that extend the carbon chain and introduce the cyano group (C≡N). One commonly used reactant for chain extension is a carbon nucleophile like a cyanide ion (CN−), typically from sodium cyanide (NaCN) or potassium cyanide (KCN). This nucleophile can perform a nucleophilic substitution reaction on 1-chloropentane, where the chlorine (Cl) is replaced by a cyano group to form hexanenitrile (C6H11CN).
The overall reaction requires a suitable solvent and may also need a catalyst or specific reaction conditions to proceed efficiently. In summary, the required reactant to convert 1-chloropentane into hexanenitrile is either sodium cyanide (NaCN) or potassium cyanide (KCN).