Potassium gold cyanide

Potassium gold cyanide
Names
IUPAC name
Potassium dicyanoaurate(I)
Other names
potassium cyanoaurate
potassium dicyanoaurate
potassium gold dicyanide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
Beilstein Reference 6235525
ChEBI
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.034.303
EC Number
  • 237-748-4
Gmelin Reference 37363
UNII
UN number 1588
  • ionic form: [C-]#N.[C-]#N.[K+].[Au+]
  • coordination form: N#C[Au-]C#N.[K+]
Properties
KAu(CN)2
Molar mass 288.101 g/mol
Appearance white crystal
Density 3.45 g/cm3
Boiling point decomposes
140 g/L
Structure
Rhombohedral, hR54, No. 148
R3
a = 0.728 nm

, b = 0.728 nm

, c = 2.636 nm



1.2099 nm3
9
Hazards
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH):
Main hazards
 toxic
GHS labelling:
GHS05: CorrosiveGHS06: ToxicGHS09: Environmental hazard
Warning
H290, H300, H310, H315, H317, H318, H330, H410
P260, P264, P273, P280, P284, P301+P310
Related compounds
Other anions
 Potassium silver cyanide
Other cations
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Potassium gold cyanide, also called potassium dicyanoaurate, is a chemical compound. It has the chemical formula KAu(CN)2.

Along with sodium gold cyanide and calcium gold cyanide, it part of the gold cyanidation process that separates gold from ores. It is also used in electroplating.

History

It was discovered by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, not long after he discovered cyanide. Scheele made a solution of potassium cyanide that could dissolve gold.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Haynes, William M., ed. (2011). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (92nd ed.). CRC Press. p. 4.82. ISBN 978-1439855119.
  2. Greenwood, N. N.; & Earnshaw, A. (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd Edn.), Oxford:Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-3365-4.
  3. 1 2 Williams, Graham (1978). "The cyanides of gold". Gold Bulletin. 11 (2): 56–59. doi:10.1007/BF03215451.