The synthetically most useful reaction of the nitrile ylides is the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to dipolarophiles: with electron-deficient alkenes, good yields of pyrrolines are obtained. Alkynes, carbonyl compounds, imines and azirines can also act as dipolarophile.
Nitrile ylides react with weak acids like methanol by protonation finally leading to a methoxyimine.