Cyanide
![Ball-and-stick model of the cyanide anion](/Images/godic/202501/07/Cyanide-ion-3D-vdW1059.png")
![The cyanide ion, CN−.
From the top:
1. Valence-bond structure
2. Space-filling model
3. Electrostatic potential surface
4.](/Images/godic/202501/07/Cyanide-montage1059.png")
A cyanide is any chemical compound that contains monovalent combining group CN. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom.
In inorganic cyanides, such as sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide this group is present as the negatively charged polyatomic cyanide ion (CN); these compounds, which are regarded as salts of hydrocyanic acid, are highly toxic. The cyanide ion is isoelectronic with carbon monoxide and with molecular nitrogen.