31252

Potassium cyanide

puriss. p.a., ACS reagent, reag. Ph. Eur., ≥97.0%

• Linear Formula: KCN
• CAS Number: 151-50-8
• Molecular Weight: 65.12
• Beilstein/REAXYS Number: 3593645
• EC Number: 205-792-3
• MDL number: MFCD00011397
• UNSPSC Code: 12352302
• PubChem Substance ID: 329753701
• NACRES: NB.24

Properties

• grade: ACS reagent; puriss. p.a.
• agency: ISO; USP/NF; reag. Ph. Eur.
• assay: ≥97.0%
• form: crystals
• impurities: ≤0.01% thiocyanate (SCN)
• pH: 11.5 (20 °C, 20 g/L)
• mp: 634 °C (lit.)
• anion traces: chloride (Cl^-): ≤200 mg/kg; phosphate (PO₄^3-): ≤50 mg/kg; sulfate (SO₄^2-): ≤400 mg/kg; sulfide (S^2-): ≤5 mg/kg
• cation traces: Fe: ≤100 mg/kg; Na: ≤5000 mg/kg; Pb: ≤2 mg/kg
• SMILES string: [K]C#N
• InChI: 1S/CN.K/c1-2;
• InChI key: YUZRZFQHUCKACF-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Description

General description

Potassium cyanide, a potassium salt, is a colorless hygroscopic compound.

Application

Potassium cyanide has been used:

• in the reduction of cassiterite for Sn isotope analysis
• gold microelectrode fabrication
• to prepare the calibration curve for colorimetric determination of hydrocyanic acid (HCN) levels in Sorghum and Sudangrass species

Biochem/physiol Actions

Potassium cyanide (KCN) is useful in dyeing, printing, photography, metal cleaning, and manufacturing. It is considered a reversible cytochrome oxidase inhibitor that blocks cellular respiration. KCN is poisonous when inhaled or ingested.

Safety Information

• pictograms: GHS06,GHS08,GHS05,GHS09
• signalword: Danger
• hcodes: H290,H300 + H310 + H330,H372,H410
• pcodes: P262 - P273 - P280 - P302 + P352 + P310 - P304 + P340 + P310 - P314
• Hazard Classifications: Acute Tox. 1 Oral - Acute Tox. 2 Dermal - Acute Tox. 2 Inhalation - Aquatic Acute 1 - Aquatic Chronic 1 - Met. Corr. 1 - STOT RE 1
• target_organs: Thyroid
• supp_hazards: EUH032
• Storage Class: 6.1A - Combustible acute toxic Cat. 1 and 2 / very toxic hazardous materials
• wgk_germany: WGK 3
• flash_point_f: Not applicable
• flash_point_c: Not applicable