A initio study of the SN2 and E2 mechanisms in the reaction between the cyanide ion and ethyl chloride in dimethyl sulfoxide solution

Reliable theoretical calculations predict a free energy barrier for nitrile formation from the reaction between the cyanide ion and ethyl chloride in DMSO solvent of 24.1 kcal/mol, close to the experimental value of 22.6 kcal/mol. We have also predicted that the isonitrile formation is less favorable by 4.7 kcal/mol, while the elimination mechanism is less favorable by more than 10 kcal/mol. These results indicate that isonitrile formation and bimolecular elimination are not significant side reactions for primary alkyl chloride reactions.