Polymerization of acrylonitrile by using zinc chloride as catalyst and preparation of polynitriles in the presence of metallic oxides have not been reported. In the present work polymerization of acrylonitrile in the presence of zinc chloride and several metallic oxides (ZnO

Al2O3

CuO

TiO2 etc.) has been studied.The infrared spectrum of the polymers showed a distinctive absorption of conjugated (C=N)n bond at 1600 cm-1 and the absorption of -C ≡ N at 2240 cm-1 has almost disappeared.The polymer is proved to be semiconductive.