Sodium cyanide is used as a starting material for the preparation of Reissert compounds, cyanogen bromide, cyanuric chloride and cyanogen chloride. It acts as a catalyst for the aminolysis of esters to primary amides. Furthermore, it is used for fumigation, in electroplating and for extracting gold and silver in mining industry. In organic synthesis, it is involved in the cyanation reaction of alkyl halides under phase transfer conditions.

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