Cyanogen
Also known as Oxalonitrile, Ethanedinitrile, Dicyanogen
Key facts
What buyers check first
- Appearance
- Colorless gas, burns with purple tinged flame
- Melting point
- -27.8 °C
- Boiling point
- -21.1 °C
- Density
- 0.9537 g/cm³ at -21 °C
- Flash point
- Flammable gas
- HS code
- 292690
- Category
- Fertilizers and micronutrients
- UN number
- UN 1026
What is Cyanogen?
Plain description, key identifiers and synonyms
Oxalonitrile is a dinitrile that is ethane substituted by two cyano groups. It is a pseudohalogen and a dinitrile.
Cyanogen is a chemical compound (CN)₂, functional group -CN-, or radical CN·.
Identifiers
Registry numbers, names and line notations, tap to copy
- IUPAC name
- oxalonitrile
- CAS number
- 460-19-5 CAS number cross-checked
- EC number
- 207-306-5
- Molecular formula
- C2N2
- UNII
- 534Q0F66RK
- InChIKey
- JMANVNJQNLATNU-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- InChI
- InChI=1S/C2N2/c3-1-2-4
- SMILES (canonical and isomeric)
- C(#N)C#N
Synonyms
- Oxalonitrile
- Ethanedinitrile
- Dicyanogen
- Carbon nitride
- Nitriloacetonitrile
- Oxalic acid dinitrile
- Oxalyl cyanide
- Prussite
- Cyanogen (C2N2)
- Cyanogene
- Carbon nitride (C2N2)
- Oxalic nitrile
- NCCN
- RCRA waste number P031
- Cyanogen gas
- bis(nitridocarbon)(C--C)
- carbononitridic cyanide
- bis(nitridocarbon)(C--C), ethanedinitrile
- Carbon mononitride
- Monocyanogen
- Dicyan
- (CN)2
- RCRA waste no. P031
- N C C N
- Cyanogen [UN1026] [Poison gas]
Show all 26 synonymsShow fewer synonyms
- UN 1026
Physical and chemical properties
Measured values and descriptors computed from the structure
Physical and chemical properties
Measured values, check the supplier specification for your grade
| Appearance | Colorless gas, burns with purple tinged flameexp.Measured value |
|---|---|
| Odour | Almond-like odor, which is acrid and pungent in lethal concentrationsexp.Measured value |
| Melting point | -27.8 °Cexp.Measured value |
| Boiling point | -21.1 °Cexp.Measured value |
| Density | 0.9537 g/cm³ at -21 °Cexp.Measured value |
| Flash point | Flammable gasexp.Measured value |
| Solubility | Solubility at 20 °C: water dissolves 4.5 times its own volume of cyanogen, diethyl ether, 5.0 times, and ethanol, 23.0 timesexp.Measured value |
| Vapour pressure | 760 mm Hg at -21.0 °C, 10 mm Hg at -76.8 °C (solid), 40 mm Hg at -62.7 °C (solid), 100 mm Hg at -51.8 °C (solid)exp.Measured value |
Values vary by grade. Ask suppliers for the COA or TDS of the batch you buy.
Computed descriptors
Calculated from the structure, useful for screening and formulation
| Molecular weight | 52.04 g/molcalc.Computed value |
|---|---|
| Exact mass | 52.0061 Dacalc.Computed value |
| LogP (octanol/water) | 0.03calc.Computed value |
| Topological polar surface area | 47.58 Ųcalc.Computed value |
| Hydrogen bond donors | 0calc.Computed value |
| Hydrogen bond acceptors | 2calc.Computed value |
| Rotatable bonds | 0calc.Computed value |
| Heavy atoms | 4calc.Computed value |
| Rings | 0calc.Computed value |
| Aromatic rings | 0calc.Computed value |
| Fraction sp3 carbons | 0calc.Computed value |
| Formal charge | 0calc.Computed value |
| Stereocentres | 0calc.Computed value |
| Lipinski rule of five | Passes (0 violations)calc.Computed value |
Calculated for screening. Confirm critical figures with the supplier.
Safety and hazards
GHS classification summary, not a safety data sheet
Hazard statements
- H220Extremely flammable gas.
- H331Toxic if inhaled.
- H400Very toxic to aquatic life.
- H410Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Precautionary statements (17)
- P203Obtain, read and follow all safety instructions before use.
- P210Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
- P222Do not allow contact with air.
- P261Avoid breathing dust, fume, gas, mist, vapours or spray.
- P271Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- P273Avoid release to the environment.
- P280Wear protective gloves, protective clothing, eye protection and face protection.
- P304 + P340If inhaled: Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing.
- P316Get emergency medical help immediately.
- P321Specific treatment (see supplemental first aid instructions on the label).
- P377Leaking gas fire: do not extinguish, unless leak can be stopped safely.
- P381In case of leakage, eliminate all ignition sources.
- P391Collect spillage.
- P403Store in a well-ventilated place.
- P403 + P233Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep container tightly closed.
- P405Store locked up.
- P501Dispose of contents and container in accordance with local regulations.
- UN number
- UN 1026
- Transport hazard class
- 2.3
GHS classification summary, not a safety data sheet (SDS). Classifications can differ by supplier, grade and concentration. Always check the supplier's SDS.
Full safety data and first aidCyanogen suppliers
Sponsored listings first, then the documented ranking: membership, verification, replies, completeness, freshness and ratings
- Price on request
- China, ChangzhouUnclaimed profileCyanogenGrade, purity and minimum order on requestPrice on request
Suppliers marked Unclaimed profile have not claimed their profile yet. They are not verified by CompoundList, their offers are price on request and details may have changed, so please confirm them with the supplier. Company representatives can claim a profile with a business email on the company's own website domain. Our team verifies each claim and sends the result by email.
Send one request to many suppliers
Choose up to 10 suppliers or let us match your request. Compare quotes side by side, free.
Cyanogen price
Indicative price range per kg from live supplier offers
Suppliers quote this chemical on request. Send one free request and compare quotes side by side.
Uses and applications
What the substance is used for, by industry and function
Organic synthesis, welding and cutting metals, fumigant, rocket propellant.
Fuel gas for welding & cutting heat-resistant metals, rocket & missile propellant (with ozone or fluorine).
Cyanogen has been used as a fumigant and may be encountered in situations in which there is heating of nitrogen containing carbon bonds, in blast furnace gases, and so on.
Cyanogen is used mainly in the laboratory. In small quantities, cyanogen is used industrially for drug synthesis. The preparation of oxamide (a slow-release fertilizer) has been carried out on a small scale. Large-scale industrial applications are not yet known.
How it is made
Oxidation of hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst.
The continuous production of (CN)2 from HCN and O2 or H2O2 is utilized industrially on a small scale.
Preparation by adding an aqueous solution of sodium or potassium cyanide to an aqueous solution of copper(II) sulfate or chloride.
Regulatory status
Inventories, regulations and trade controls that list this substance
Europe
- EU harmonised classification (CLP Annex VI)Index no: 608-011-00-8
United States
- TSCA inventory (USA)Status: Active in US commerce
HS code and trade data
Customs classification and reported world trade statistics
Global trade
World import and export statistics for the HS code Cyanogen is traded under.
Nitrile-function compounds, other
- United States13.6%
- China12.4%
- Brazil11.9%
* Partner reported figures, a lower bound.
The HS code shown for Cyanogen is indicative (it was assigned by structure rules). Confirm the classification with your customs broker before shipping.
Related chemicals
Parent and salt forms, stereoisomers, similar structures and isomers
Similar structures
Nearest neighbours by Morgan fingerprint Tanimoto similarity
Same formula isomers
Different compounds that share this molecular formula
![2,4-Diazabicyclo[1.1.0]buta-1,3-diene chemical structure, C2N2, CAS 83425-47-2](/s/AVKPPFLLVUCVRZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N.svg)
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Cyanogen, based on the data on this page
What is Cyanogen?
What is the CAS number of Cyanogen?
What is the molecular formula and weight of Cyanogen?
What is Cyanogen used for?
Is Cyanogen hazardous?
What is the HS code of Cyanogen?
Where can I buy Cyanogen?
What is the price of Cyanogen?
Guides for buyers
Practical guides that help when you source, ship or handle Cyanogen
- Guide, SafetyHow to read a safety data sheet in 10 minutesA section by section method to pull the essentials out of any 16 section SDS: identity, hazards, composition, storage, PPE, properties, transport and emergency measures.Read
- Guide, Trade and logisticsShipping dangerous goods: UN numbers, classes and packing groupsHow the UN dangerous goods system works for chemicals, from the nine classes and UN numbers to packing groups, UN packaging marks, labels, documents and segregation.Read
- Guide, SafetyGHS pictograms, signal words and hazard statements explainedA practical guide to the nine GHS pictograms, the signal words Danger and Warning, H and P statements, and how to read a chemical label in seconds.Read
Get quotes for Cyanogen
Embed this structure on your websiteShow code
Paste this code into your page to show the 2D structure of Cyanogen with a 3D view, its CAS number where known and a link back to this page. Free to use with the link kept.
<iframe src="https://www.compoundlist.com/embed/structure/cyanogen-460-19-5" title="Cyanogen structure on CompoundList" width="360" height="420" style="border:1px solid #E7E2DA;border-radius:12px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"></iframe>Explore more in Fertilizers and micronutrients or HS code 292690