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Home > Science > What is the Difference Between Sodium Cyanide and Potassium Cyanide?

Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Sodium Cyanide and Potassium Cyanide?

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Sodium cyanide (NaCN) and potassium cyanide (KCN) are both highly toxic chemical compounds that contain the deadly cyanide (CN^-) ion. The key differences between sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide are:

  1. Cation: Sodium cyanide has a sodium cation bound to the cyanide anion, while potassium cyanide has a potassium cation in the place of the sodium cation.
  2. Production: Sodium cyanide is produced, while potassium cyanide is produced via treating hydrogen cyanide with potassium hydroxide.
  3. Toxicity: Both compounds are deadly due to the presence of the cyanide ion, but potassium cyanide is considered more deadly than sodium cyanide because the cyanide ion is liberated faster in KCN.

Both sodium and potassium cyanide are white crystal-like solids with a faint almond odor. They are used in industry for metal cleaning, plating, extraction, and photography, as well as in gold mining due to their high reactivity towards metals. When ingested or absorbed through the skin, cyanide salts can cause headache, nausea, dizziness, and even death.

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  • What is the Difference Between Sodium Cyanide and Potassium Cyanide?
  • Comparative Table: Sodium Cyanide vs Potassium Cyanide

    • Comparative Table: Sodium Cyanide vs Potassium Cyanide

    The main difference between sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide lies in the cations present in each compound. Both compounds are highly toxic and have similar applications, but their production processes and some of their properties differ. Here is a comparison table of sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide:

    Property Sodium Cyanide (NaCN) Potassium Cyanide (KCN)
    Cation Sodium (Na) Potassium (K)
    Anion Cyanide (CN) Cyanide (CN)
    Production Process Produced by treating hydrogen cyanide with sodium hydroxide Produced by treating hydrogen cyanide with potassium hydroxide
    Appearance White or yellowish-white powder or granules Colorless crystalline solid, resembling sugar
    Solubility Soluble in water, slightly soluble in alcohol Highly soluble in water
    Crystal Structure Na+ and CN− ions are six-coordinated atoms Potassium ions are six-coordinated, surrounded by six cyanide ions, and vice versa
    Applications Extracting gold in gold mining, chemical feedstock for the production of various compounds (e.g., cyanuric chloride) Gold mining, organic synthesis, electroplating

    Both sodium and potassium cyanide are used in gold mining due to their high reactivity towards metals, which makes them useful in extracting gold.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.