Cyano-, Nitrile-

4-Cyano-4'-hydroxybiphenyl is a phenolic compound that belongs to the family of compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. It has been shown to bind to a variety of receptors and is used in sample pretreatment for assays. 4-Cyano-4'-hydroxybiphenyl also has a number of uses in polymerization reactions, including cationic polymerization, which involves the reaction of an electron donor with an electrophile. The electron donor is typically a Lewis acid, such as trifluoroacetic acid or formyl chloride. 4-Cyano-4'-hydroxybiphenyl can be used as an amide coupling agent, which involves the reaction of an amine with another organic compound to form an amide bond. It also reacts with chlorine gas in iodination reactions to produce hypochlorous acid.

N-Cyanopyrrolidine is a compound that targets enzymes, such as histone deacetylases (HDACs) and protein kinase C. It is a chemical ionization reagent that reacts with hydroxyl groups on the target molecule. This leads to the formation of covalent bonds between the target and the reagent, which results in an irreversible reaction. N-Cyanopyrrolidine has been shown to have antidiabetic effects in diabetic patients and hiv infection by decreasing levels of glucose in the blood. It also inhibits cancer cell growth by inhibiting dpp-IV, which is an enzyme that causes cancer cells to proliferate.