Hydrogen cyanide

• Formula: CHN
• Molecular weight: 27.0253
• IUPAC Standard InChI: InChI=1S/CHN/c1-2/h1H Copy

  
• IUPAC Standard InChIKey: LELOWRISYMNNSU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copy
• CAS Registry Number: 74-90-8
• Chemical structure:
  This structure is also available as a 2d Mol file
• Other names: Hydrocyanic acid; AC; Blausaeure (German); Carbon hydride nitride (CHN); Formic anammonide; Formonitrile; HCN; Prussic Acid; Cyclon; Acide cyanhydrique; Acido cianidrico; Aero Liquid HCN; Blausaeure; Blauwzuur; Cyaanwaterstof; Cyanwasserstoff; Cyclone B; Cyjanowodor; Evercyn; NA 1051; Prussic acid, unstabilized; Rcra waste number P063; UN 1051; Zaclondiscoids; Carbon hydride nitride; Zootic acid; Agent AC; Nitrilomethane
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• Information on this page:
  • Gas phase thermochemistry data
  • Gas phase ion energetics data
  • Vibrational and/or electronic energy levels
  • Gas Chromatography
  • References
  • Notes
• Other data available:
  • Condensed phase thermochemistry data
  • Phase change data
  • Reaction thermochemistry data: reactions 1 to 50, reactions 51 to 92
  • Henry's Law data
  • Ion clustering data
  • IR Spectrum
  • Mass spectrum (electron ionization)
• Data at other public NIST sites:
  • Microwave spectra (on physics lab web site)
  • Computational Chemistry Comparison and Benchmark Database
  • Gas Phase Kinetics Database
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Gas phase thermochemistry data

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Data compilation copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Gas Phase Heat Capacity (Shomate Equation)

C_p° = A + B*t + C*t² + D*t³ + E/t²
H° − H°_298.15= A*t + B*t²/2 + C*t³/3 + D*t⁴/4 − E/t + F − H
S° = A*ln(t) + B*t + C*t²/2 + D*t³/3 − E/(2*t²) + G
    C_p = heat capacity (J/mol*K)
    H° = standard enthalpy (kJ/mol)
    S° = standard entropy (J/mol*K)
    t = temperature (K) / 1000.

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Gas phase ion energetics data

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Data compilation copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Data evaluated as indicated in comments:
HL - Edward P. Hunter and Sharon G. Lias
L - Sharon G. Lias

Data compiled as indicated in comments:
B - John E. Bartmess
LBLHLM - Sharon G. Lias, John E. Bartmess, Joel F. Liebman, John L. Holmes, Rhoda D. Levin, and W. Gary Mallard
LLK - Sharon G. Lias, Rhoda D. Levin, and Sherif A. Kafafi
RDSH - Henry M. Rosenstock, Keith Draxl, Bruce W. Steiner, and John T. Herron

View reactions leading to CHN⁺ (ion structure unspecified)

Electron affinity determinations

Ionization energy determinations

Appearance energy determinations

De-protonation reactions

CN^- +  =

By formula: CN^- + H⁺ = CHN

Vibrational and/or electronic energy levels

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Data compilation copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Data compiled by: Takehiko Shimanouchi

Symmetry:   C_∞ν     Symmetry Number σ = 1

Source: Shimanouchi, 1972

Notes

Gas Chromatography

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Data compilation copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Data compiled by: NIST Mass Spectrometry Data Center, William E. Wallace, director

Kovats' RI, non-polar column, isothermal

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Normal alkane RI, non-polar column, custom temperature program

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References

Go To: Top, Gas phase thermochemistry data, Gas phase ion energetics data, Vibrational and/or electronic energy levels, Gas Chromatography, Notes

Data compilation copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Chase, 1998
Chase, M.W., Jr., NIST-JANAF Themochemical Tables, Fourth Edition, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data, Monograph 9, 1998, 1-1951. [all data]

Hunter and Lias, 1998
Hunter, E.P.; Lias, S.G., Evaluated Gas Phase Basicities and Proton Affinities of Molecules: An Update, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data, 1998, 27, 3, 413-656, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.556018 . [all data]

Ard, Garrett, et al., 2009
Ard, S.; Garrett, W.R.; Compton, R.N.; Adamowicz, L.; Stepanian, S.G., Rotational states of dipole-bound anions of hydrogen cyanide., Chem. Phys. Lett., 2009, 473, 4-6, 223, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cplett.2009.04.007 . [all data]

Tsuda, Yokohata, et al., 1971
Tsuda, S.; Yokohata, A.; Umaba, T., Measurement of negative ions formed by electron impact. VIII. Ionization efficiency curves of negative ions from methyl and ethyl cyanides, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 1971, 44, 1486. [all data]

Lageot, 1972
Lageot, C., Etude des etats excites de l'ion HCN⁺, J. Chim. Phys. Phys.-Chim. Biol., 1972, 68, 214. [all data]

Dibeler and Liston, 1968
Dibeler, V.H.; Liston, S.K., Mass-spectrometric study of photoionization. IX. Hydrogen cyanide and acetonitrile, J. Chem. Phys., 1968, 48, 4765. [all data]

Baker and Turner, 1968
Baker, C.; Turner, D.W., High resolution molecular photoelectron spectroscopy. III.Acetylenes and azaacetylenes, Proc. Roy. Soc. (London), 1968, A308, 19. [all data]

Varsel, Morrell, et al., 1960
Varsel, C.J.; Morrell, F.A.; Resnik, F.E.; Powell, W.A., Qualitative and quantitative analysis of organic compounds. Use of low-voltage mass spectrometry, Anal. Chem., 1960, 32, 182. [all data]

Kusch, Hustrulid, et al., 1937
Kusch, P.; Hustrulid, A.; Tate, J.T., The dissociation of HCN, C₂H₂, C₂N₂ and C₂H₄ by electron impact, Phys. Rev., 1937, 52, 843. [all data]

Kreile, Schweig, et al., 1982
Kreile, J.; Schweig, A.; Thiel, W., Experimental and theoretical investigation of the photoionization of hydrogen cyanide, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1982, 87, 473. [all data]

Fridh and Asbrink, 1975
Fridh, C.; Asbrink, L., Photoelectron electron impact spectrum of HCN, J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom., 1975, 7, 119. [all data]

Potts and Williams, 1974
Potts, A.W.; Williams, T.A., The observation of "forbidden" transitions in He II photoelectron spectra, J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom., 1974, 3, 3. [all data]

Frost, Lee, et al., 1973
Frost, D.C.; Lee, S.T.; McDowell, C.A., The photoelectron spectrum of HCP and comments on the first photoelectron band of HCN, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1973, 23, 472. [all data]

Berkowitz, Chupka, et al., 1969
Berkowitz, J.; Chupka, W.A.; Walter, T.A., Photoionization of HCN: the electron affinity and heat of formation of CN, J. Chem. Phys., 1969, 50, 1497. [all data]

Akin and Ervin, 2006
Akin, F.A.; Ervin, K.M., Collision-induced dissociation of HS-(HCN): Unsymmetrical hydrogen bonding in a proton-bound dimer anion, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2006, 110, 4, 1342-1349, https://doi.org/10.1021/jp0540454 . [all data]

Bradforth, Kim, et al., 1993
Bradforth, S.E.; Kim, E.H.; Arnold, D.W.; Neumark, D.M., Photoelectron Spectroscopy of CN-, NCO-, and NCS-, J. Chem. Phys., 1993, 98, 2, 800, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.464244 . [all data]

Bartmess, Scott, et al., 1979
Bartmess, J.E.; Scott, J.A.; McIver, R.T., Jr., The gas phase acidity scale from methanol to phenol, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1979, 101, 6047. [all data]

Shimanouchi, 1972
Shimanouchi, T., Tables of Molecular Vibrational Frequencies Consolidated Volume I, National Bureau of Standards, 1972, 1-160. [all data]

Do and Raulin, 1992
Do, L.; Raulin, F., Gas chromatography of Titan's atmosphere. III. Analysis of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons and nitriles with a CP-Sil-5 CB WCOT capillary column, J. Chromatogr., 1992, 591, 1-2, 297-301, https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9673(92)80247-R . [all data]

Do and Raulin, 1989
Do, L.; Raulin, F., Gas chromatography of Titan's atmosphere. I. Analysis of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons and nitriles with a PoraPLOT Q porous polymer coated open-tubular capillary column, J. Chromatogr., 1989, 481, 45-54, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)96751-2 . [all data]

Staples, 2006
Staples, E.J., Creating a compound library for chemical warfare agents for the ZNose, 2006, retrieved from http://www.estcal.com/TechPapers/Security/CWA-Libraries.pdf. [all data]

Notes

Go To: Top, Gas phase thermochemistry data, Gas phase ion energetics data, Vibrational and/or electronic energy levels, Gas Chromatography, References

• Symbols used in this document:
  

  AE	Appearance energy
  EA	Electron affinity
  IE (evaluated)	Recommended ionization energy
  S°gas,1 bar	Entropy of gas at standard conditions (1 bar)
  ΔfH°gas	Enthalpy of formation of gas at standard conditions
  ΔrG°	Free energy of reaction at standard conditions
  ΔrH°	Enthalpy of reaction at standard conditions

• Data from NIST Standard Reference Database 69: NIST Chemistry WebBook
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