Cyanotrimethylsilane adds to some ⇌,β-unsaturated ketones in conjugate manner under the catalytic action of Lewis acids such as triethylaluminium, aluminiumchloride, and SnCl2. Hydrolysis of the products gives β-cyano ketones which are identical to the hydrocyanated products of the starting enones. The title silicon reagent reacts with acetals and orthoesters under the catalytic action of SnCI2 or BF3-OEt2