http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research-news/202606/t20260611_1161572.shtml

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44160-026-01055-y

A recent study by Profs. DENG Dehui, YU Liang, and HUANG Rui from the CAS Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics(DICP) developed a plasma-cascade process that enables the direct synthesis of cyclohexanone cyanohydrin [Cy(OH)CN] with nitrogen, methane, and cyclohexanone under mild conditions. The process achieved a Cy(OH)CN selectivity of 95.8%, a yield of 23.9%, and a formation rate of 0.60 mmol h^-1.

Cyanohydrins are valuable chemical intermediates used in the production of antidepressants, antiviral drugs, and synthetic plastics. Their conventional synthesis relies on a multi-step process that involves energy-intensive production of ammonia and hydrogen cyanide, leading to high energy consumption, high carbon emissions and safety concerns associated with toxic reagents.

As a result, developing a direct route to cyanohydrins from abundant feedstock such as nitrogen and methane under mild conditions has long been a major challenge.

The researchers proposed a plasma-driven radical cascade mechanism. Under non-thermal plasma, nitrogen and methane are excited to generate reactive species, including excited-state nitrogen as well as ·CH₃ and ·H radicals, which subsequently react with cyclohexanone. They revealed that the plasma-generated ·H radicals first activate the C=O bond of cyclohexanone to form hydroxy-cyclohexyl intermediates. These intermediates then undergo C–C coupling with ·CH₃ radicals. The resulting α‑CHₓ cyclohexanol species further reacts with excited-state nitrogen to form a C–N bond. Assisted by ·H radicals, the N≡N bond is subsequently cleaved, ultimately yielding the target product cyclohexanone cyanohydrin along with high-value ammonia as a co-product.