p-Tolunitrile

4-Methylbenzonitrile (p-tolunitrile) is a white crystalline solid or colorless liquid — an important aromatic nitrile intermediate widely used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and dyes. Insoluble in water, soluble in ethanol and ether.

The nitrile can be hydrolyzed to p-toluic acid, alcoholyzed to esters, reduced to p-methylbenzylamine, or added with organometallic reagents to give ketones; the benzylic methyl can be halogenated or oxidized, providing routes to para-difunctional derivatives such as p-hydroxymethylbenzoic acid.