The Analogy between O and C(CN)2

The compounds of oxygen, i.e. OH acids, ethers, quinones, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic esters and amine oxides, sulfoxides, and phosphane oxides, are compared and contrasted with those compounds which contain a C(CN)₂ moiety in place of the characteristic O atom. In their typical properties the pairs of analogs frequently display surprising agreement. The purpose of such analogy studies lies primarily in the estimation of reactivities; their limits are reached where specific properties of the structual components become effective.