Methyl cyanoformate

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| Watchedfields = changed

| verifiedrevid = 472646918

| ImageFile = Methyl cyanoformate Structural Formulae V.1.svg

| ImageSize =

| PIN = Methyl carbonocyanidate

| OtherNames =

|Section1={{Chembox Identifiers

| CASNo_Ref = {{cascite|correct|??}}

| CASNo = 17640-15-2

| UNII_Ref = {{fdacite|correct|FDA}}

| UNII = 7S9M7F9JLT

| PubChem = 28660

| ChemSpiderID_Ref = {{chemspidercite|correct|chemspider}}

| ChemSpiderID = 26657

| SMILES = N#CC(=O)OC

| InChI = 1/C3H3NO2/c1-6-3(5)2-4/h1H3

| InChIKey = OBWFJXLKRAFEDI-UHFFFAOYAH

| StdInChI_Ref = {{stdinchicite|correct|chemspider}}

| StdInChI = 1S/C3H3NO2/c1-6-3(5)2-4/h1H3

| StdInChIKey_Ref = {{stdinchicite|correct|chemspider}}

| StdInChIKey = OBWFJXLKRAFEDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N

}}

|Section2={{Chembox Properties

| C=3 | H=3 | N=1 | O=2

| MolarMass = 85.06

| Appearance = colorless liquid

| Density = 1.072 g/cm³

| MeltingPt =

| BoilingPtC = 100 to 101

| BoilingPt_notes =

| Solubility =

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|Section3={{Chembox Hazards

| MainHazards = toxic

| FlashPt =

| AutoignitionPt =

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Methyl cyanoformate is the organic compound with the formula CH₃OC(O)CN. It is used as a reagent in organic synthesis as a source of the methoxycarbonyl group,{{cite journal | doi = 10.1055/s-1990-21025 | title = C-Acylation of Enolates by Methyl Cyanoformate: An Examination of Site- and Stereoselectivity | date = 1990 | last1 = Crabtree | first1 = Simon R. | last2 = Chu | first2 = W. L. Alex | last3 = Mander | first3 = Lewis N. | journal = Synlett | issue = 3 | pages = 169–170 }} in which context it is also known as Mander's reagent. When a lithium enolate is generated in diethyl ether or methyl t-butyl ether, treatment with Mander's reagent will selectively afford the C-acylation product. Thus, for enolate acylation reactions in which C- vs. O-selectivity is a concern, methyl cyanoformate is often used in place of more common acylation reagent like methyl chloroformate.

Methyl cyanoformate is also an ingredient in Zyklon A. It has lachrymatory effects.{{cite book |last1=Sartori |first1=Mario |title=The War Gases |date=1939 |page=100|publisher=D. Von Nostrand|location=New York}}