Cyanide

A cyanide is any chemical compound that contains the group C≡N, with the carbon atom triple bonded to the nitrogen atom. Inorganic cyanides contain the highly toxic cyanide ion CN- and are the salts of the acid hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Organic cyanides contain the cyano group (CN) single-bonded to another carbon atom are also known as nitriles. Two cyanide ions can bond to each other via their carbon atoms, forming the gas cyanogen (NC-CN).

Use as a poison

The cyanide ion, if used as poison, is generally delivered in the form of gaseous hydrogen cyanide or in the form of potassium cyanide (KCN) or sodium cyanide (NaCN).

Related Topics:
Poison - Hydrogen cyanide - Potassium cyanide - Sodium cyanide

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zyklon B, the poison gas used in Nazi gas chambers during the Holocaust, works by delivering hydrogen cyanide gas. Cyanide is also the compound used in U.S. execution chambers.

Related Topics:
Zyklon B - Poison gas - Nazi - Gas chamber - The Holocaust - U.S. - Execution

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cyanide salts are sometimes used as fast acting suicide devices. When they reach the stomach acids, cyanide ions are released; therefore they work faster on an empty stomach.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Famous cyanide salt suicides include:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Hermann Göring
• Joseph Goebbels
• Adolf Hitler (likely, see article on Hitler's death)
• Alan Turing
• Martin Bormann (dubious)
• Heinrich Himmler
• Erwin Rommel
• Odilo Globocnik
• Peoples Temple mass suicide

Poisoning by cyanide also figures prominently in crime fiction, for example Agatha Christie's Sparkling Cyanide (also titled Remembered Death); cyanide is the instrument of one murder in The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. See also: Victims of poisoning

Related Topics:
Crime fiction - Agatha Christie - Sparkling Cyanide - The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler - Victims of poisoning

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cyanides were stockpiled in both the Soviet and the United States chemical weapons arsenals in the 1950s and 1960s. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was thought to be planning to use hydrogen cyanide as a "blitzkrieg" weapon to clear a path through the opposing front line, knowing that the harmful gas itself would evaporate and allow unprotected access to the captured zone. (As a military agent, cyanide was not considered very effective since cyanide is lighter than air and requires a significant dose in order to incapacitate or kill)

Related Topics:
Soviet - United States - Chemical weapon - 1950s - 1960s - Cold War - Blitzkrieg

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some spy agents also carried glasses with cyanide in the frames. If they were caught by the enemy, they could casually chew the frame, releasing the cyanide, and die before being tortured or getting information taken from them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~