Lithium_cyanide

Lithium cyanide

Lithium cyanide

Toxic crystalline salt

Lithium cyanide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula LiCN. It is a toxic, white coloured, hygroscopic, water-soluble salt that finds only niche uses.

Quick Facts Identifiers, Properties ...

Preparation

LiCN is produced from the reaction of lithium hydroxide and hydrogen cyanide. A laboratory-scale preparation uses acetone cyanohydrin as a surrogate for HCN:[5]

(CH3)2C(OH)CN + LiH → (CH3)2CO + LiCN + H2

Uses

The compound decomposes to cyanamide and carbon when heated to a temperature close to but below 600 °C. Acids react to give hydrogen cyanide.[6]

Lithium cyanide can be used as a reagent for organic compound cyanation.[7]

RX + LiCN → RCN + LiX

References

  1. [1]
    J. A. Lely, J. M. Bijvoet (1942), "The Crystal Structure of Lithium Cyanide", Recueil des Travaux Chimiques des Pays-Bas, vol. 61, London: WILEY-VCH Verlag, doi:10.1002/recl.19420610402
  2. [2]
    Haynes, W.M (2013), "Bernard Lewis", in Bruno, Thomas. (ed.), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (93 ed.), Boca Raton, Florida: Fitzroy Dearborn, archived from the original on 2017-07-24, retrieved 2012-12-09
  3. [3]
    Material Safety Data Sheet: Lithium Cyanide, 0.5M Solution in N,N-Dimethylformamide, Fisher Scientific, 16 June 1999
  4. [4]
    "Lithium cyanide". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  5. [5]
    Livinghouse, Tom (1981). "Trimethylsilyl Cyanide: Cyanosilylation of p-Benzoquinone". Org. Synth. 60: 126. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.060.0126.
  6. [6]
    L. Pesce (2010). "Cyanides". Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Kirk‐Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/0471238961.0325011416051903.a01.pub2. ISBN 978-0471238966.
  7. [7]
    Harusawa, Shinya; Yoneda, Ryuji; Omori, Yukie; Kurihara, Takushi (1987). "Non-aqueous cyanation of halides using lithium cyanide". Tetrahedron Letters. 28 (36). Elsevier: 4189–4190. doi:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)95575-8.
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