Potassium Cyanide
Potassium (K) + Carbon (C) + Nitrogen (N) = Potassium Cyanide (KCN)
It consists of 1 Carbon atom, 1 Potassium atom and 1 Nitrogen atom. Potassium Cyanide is a colourless crystaline compound and is highly soluble in water. Potassium Cyanide is highly toxic and smells like bitter almonds. Its melting point is 634.5 °C while its boiling point is 1625 °C. The
Potassium molecule makes up 60.04% of the total mass, Carbon 18.45%, and the Nitrogen 21.51%. The potassium and carbon molecules bond together with a single ionic bond and the carbon and nitrogen are held together by a covalent triple bond. Cyanide is a potent inhibitor of cellular respiration, acting on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase and hence blocking oxidative phosphorylation. This prevents the body from oxidizing food to produce useful energy. If this compound is being swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through skin, one might die within an hour if not treated medically.
The full structural formula of KCN:
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