Cyanohydrin formation is useful because of the further chemistry that can be carried out. For example, the nitrile group (-C=N) can be reduced with LiAlH4 to yield a primary amine (RCH2NH2) and can be hydrolyzed by hot aqueous acid to yield a carboxylic acid. Thus, cyanohydrin formation provides a method for transforming a ketone or aldehyde into a different functional group.