Rate and equilibrium constants ( k r and K , respectively) for the addition of cyanide ion to poly[ 1-(4-vinylbenzyl)nicotinamide chloride] (poly j 1-[4-(3-aminocarbonyIpyridiniomethyl)phenyl]ethylene chloride)) (poly(1)) and a corresponding monomeric derivative of nicotinamide, 3-aminocarbonyl-I -benzylpyridinium chloride (2), were evaluated at 30°C, in an aqueous system. The rate constant for the reaction of poly(1) with C N -at p=O,1 mol I -' was found to be higher by a factor of 22 and the association constant byafactorofabout 65,compared with thosefor thereactionof2withCN-. At a lower ionic strength (p=O,OO8 mol I-'), the reaction parameters were markedly enhanced (108-fold and 218-fold, respectively). The rate enhancements in the polymeric system are attributable to the increase in the AS*, term. This favorable entropy term caused the deviation from the linear log K-log k , relationship which holds strictly for monomeric compounds.