HCN and HNC dimers. A new and stable variant

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A dimer of HCN, N-cyanoformimine or CH2NCN, hitherto only postulated as the repetitive unit of a polymer has been produced by pyrolysis (1200-1300 K) of dimethylcyanamide at low pressure (≈30 mtorr) and identified by simultaneous recording of its microwave spectrum (18.6-40.0 GHz). Later, the same dimer was detected in a sample of liquid HCN stored for 1-2 years at 277 K under exclusion of light. The new dimer is, therefore, stable under widely different conditions of pressure and temperature. The possibility of assigning the observed microwave spectrum to iminoacetonitrile or to cyclic azapropenylidenimine is discussed.

Original languageEnglish
JournalChemical Physics Letters
Volume59
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)330-333
Number of pages4
ISSN0009-2614
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Nov 1978

ID: 214010674