[Garneck]

I rarely ask questions here, but I've got a problem that's not even mine.

Can anyone tell me something about the mechanism of the reaction of acetamide with P₄O₁₀ to form a nitrile?

I know this reaction with SOCl₂, but I can't find anything that says something about using P₄O₁₀.
Thanks

[movies]

Same idea as the thionyl chloride reaction.  P₄O₁₀ is a powerful dehydrating agent.  So, the amide oxygen attacks phosphorus to make an imidate.  There is a proton transfer step, and then the remaining lone pair on the nitrogen moves down to eject the oxygen and form a protonated nitrile.  Another proton transfer step and your done.  Basically, P₄O₁₀ wants to end up as phosphoric acid, H_3[/sup]PO4.

[Garneck]

Thank you movies. That was just what I was thinking, thanks for your confirmation!

[laotree]

Check ecompound.com, reaction reference, reaction mechanism. Morgan-Walls reaction and Simonis reaction mechanism could give you some hints.