What is the Difference Between Calcium Cyanide and Calcium Cyanamide?

Calcium cyanide and calcium cyanamide are related inorganic compounds, but they have different chemical formulas and properties. The key difference between the two lies in their chemical structure and production methods.

1. Chemical Formula: Calcium cyanide has the chemical formula Ca(CN)2, while calcium cyanamide has the chemical formula CaCN2.
2. Production: Calcium cyanamide is produced through the nitrogenation of calcium carbide. In contrast, calcium cyanide is produced by heating calcium cyanamide with sodium chloride, and the product is typically only 50% pure, containing sodium cyanide and carbon as well.
3. Stability: Calcium cyanide is not considered stable and decomposes readily, even in moist air, to release hydrogen cyanide. Calcium cyanamide, however, is stable at high pressures of nitrogen and high carbon activities.
4. Uses: Calcium cyanamide is primarily used in agriculture as a fertilizer, as it hydrolyzes into hydrogen cyanamide, which decomposes and liberates ammonia when in contact with water. It has also been used to produce sodium cyanide through fusing it with sodium carbonate. Calcium cyanide has various applications, such as an agricultural fertilizer, a component in the cyanide process for gold mining, and in the production of sodium cyanide.

In summary, calcium cyanide and calcium cyanamide are inorganic compounds with different chemical formulas and production methods. Calcium cyanamide is more stable and has applications in agriculture and chemical production, while calcium cyanide is less stable and has various applications in different industries.

Comparative Table: Calcium Cyanide vs Calcium Cyanamide

Here is a table comparing the differences between calcium cyanide and calcium cyanamide:

The key difference between calcium cyanide and calcium cyanamide is their production methods. Calcium cyanide is produced through a process not specified in the search results, while calcium cyanamide is produced through the nitrogenation of calcium carbide.