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Cyanide
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Chemistry/SrNqkGVm">chemistry</a>, cyanide is an <a href="/facts/Inorganic/TfFfzxSz">inorganic</a> <a href="/facts/Chemical_compound/37FXqqtv">chemical compound</a> that contains a <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">C</a>≡<a href="/facts/Nitrogen/Nf1QpGDz">N</a> <a href="/facts/Functional_group/GXkSPsjM">functional group</a>. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of a <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">carbon</a> atom <a href="/facts/Triple-bond/poDWRayX">triple-bonded</a> to a <a href="/facts/Nitrogen/Nf1QpGDz">nitrogen</a> atom. </p><p><a href="/facts/Salt_(chemistry)/lsSKwGpn">Ionic</a> cyanides contain the cyanide <a href="/facts/Anion/wrbwhF3z">anion</a> −C≡N. This anion is <a href="/facts/Cyanide_poisoning/aRlBkn79">extremely poisonous</a>. Soluble cyanide <a href="/facts/Salt_(chemistry)/lsSKwGpn">salts</a> such as <a href="/facts/Sodium_cyanide/CQfl206o">sodium cyanide</a> (NaCN), <a href="/facts/Potassium_cyanide/xcoXn4I8">potassium cyanide</a> (KCN) and <a href="/facts/Tetraethylammonium_cyanide/pwcWgqgd">tetraethylammonium cyanide</a> ([(CH3CH2)4N]CN) are highly toxic. </p><p><a href="/facts/Covalent/EzMLf3Pz">Covalent</a> cyanides contain the −C≡N group, and are usually called <a href="/facts/Nitrile/Gz7RCnC6">nitriles</a> if the group is linked by a <a href="/facts/Single_bond/8qz02fEl">single</a> <a href="/facts/Covalent_bond/EzMLf3Pz">covalent bond</a> to <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">carbon</a> atom. For example, in <a href="/facts/Acetonitrile/fNpbvRp6">acetonitrile</a> CH3−C≡N, the cyanide group is bonded to <a href="/facts/Methyl/fkM97EMD">methyl</a> −CH3. In <a href="/facts/Tetracyanomethane/QjJ7yHUH">tetracyanomethane</a> C(−C≡N)4, four cyano groups are bonded to carbon. Although nitriles generally do not release cyanide ions, the <a href="/facts/Cyanohydrin/enG37w2u">cyanohydrins</a> do and are thus toxic. The cyano group may be covalently bonded to atoms different than carbon, e.g., in <a href="/facts/Cyanogen_azide/bRJLPtbR">cyanogen azide</a> N3−C≡N, <a href="/facts/Phosphorus_tricyanide/RvMIQ2LL">phosphorus tricyanide</a> P(−C≡N)3 and <a href="/facts/Trimethylsilyl_cyanide/2DESy9tP">trimethylsilyl cyanide</a> (CH3)3Si−C≡N. </p><p><a href="/facts/Hydrogen_cyanide/vNtA0Mxe">Hydrogen cyanide</a>, or H−C≡N, is a highly <a href="/facts/Volatility_(chemistry)/90r3ep6w">volatile</a> toxic liquid that is produced on a large scale industrially. It is obtained by <a href="/facts/Acid/FySU18n1">acidification</a> of cyanide salts. </p>