hydrogen cyanide (redirected from HCN)

hydrogen cyanide

n.

A colorless, volatile, extremely poisonous flammable liquid, HCN, miscible in water and used in the manufacture of dyes, fumigants, and plastics. It becomes a gas at 26°C.

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hydrogen cyanide

n

(Chemistry / Elements & Compounds) a colourless poisonous liquid with a faint odour of bitter almonds, usually made by a catalysed reaction between ammonia, oxygen, and methane. It forms prussic acid in aqueous solution and is used for making plastics and dyes and as a war gas. Formula: HCN Also called hydrocyanic acid

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hydrogen cyanide

A colorless, flammable, extremely poisonous liquid. Salts derived from it have many industrial uses, such as hardening iron and steel, extracting metals from ores, electroplating metallic surfaces, and making acrylonitrile, from which acrylic fibers and plastics are produced. It is also used to make dyes and poisons. A solution of hydrogen cyanide in water forms a colorless acid called hydrocyanic acid. Chemical formula: HCN.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

hydrogen cyanide - a highly poisonous gas or volatile liquid that smells like bitter almonds; becomes a gas at around 90 degree Fahrenheit and is most dangerous when inhaled; the anhydride of hydrocyanic acid; used in manufacturing chemical compound, compound - (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight