POTASSIUM CYANIDE[KCN]

·         CAS Number 151-50-8

·         Linear Formula KCN

·         Molecular Weight 65.12

·          Beilstein Registry Number 3593645

·          EC Number 205-792-3

·          MDL number MFCD00011397

·          PubChem Substance ID 57651730

Potassium cyanide is a compound with the formula KCN. This colorless crystalline salt, similar in appearance to sugar, is highly soluble in water. Most KCN is used in gold mining, organic synthesis, and electroplating. Smaller applications include jewelry for chemical gilding and buffing.

Detailed Description:

Potassium cyanide is highly toxic. The moist solid emits small amounts of hydrogen cyanide due to hydrolysis, which smells like bitter almonds.^[5] Not everyone, however, can smell this; the ability to do so is a genetic trait.^[6]

The taste of potassium cyanide has been described as acrid with a burning sensation.

Applications

KCN and sodium cyanide (NaCN) are widely used in organic synthesis for the preparation of nitriles and carboxylic acids, particularly in the von Richter reaction. It also finds use for the synthesis of hydantoins, which can be useful synthetic intermediates, when reacted with a carbonyl compound such as an aldehyde or ketone in the presence of ammonium carbonate.

KCN is used as a photographic fixer in the wet plate collodion process.^[12] The KCN dissolves silver where it has not been made insoluble by the developer. This reveals and stabilizes the image, making it no longer sensitive to light. Modern wet plate photographers may prefer less toxic fixers, often opting for the less toxic Sodium thiosulphate, but KCN is still used.

Potassium gold cyanide

In gold mining, KCN forms the water-soluble salt potassium gold cyanide (or gold potassium cyanide) and potassium hydroxide from gold metal in the presence of oxygen (usually from the surrounding air) and water:

4 Au + 8 KCN + O₂ + 2 H₂O → 4 K[Au(CN)₂] + 4 KOH

A similar process uses NaCN to produce sodium gold cyanide (NaAu(CN₂)).

PRICES

$1201.13/KG OR $545.96/IB

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