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Key Documents

60178

Sigma-Aldrich

Potassium cyanide

BioUltra, ≥98.0% (AT)

Synonym(s):

KCN, Potassium salt of hydrocyanic acid

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About This Item

Linear Formula:
KCN
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
65.12
Beilstein:
3593645
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352302
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.25

biological source

synthetic

Quality Level

product line

BioUltra

Assay

≥98.0% (AT)

form

crystalline

impurities

insoluble matter, passes filter test

pH

11.0-13.0 (25 °C, 1 M in H2O)

mp

634 °C (lit.)

solubility

H2O: 1 M at 20 °C, clear, colorless

anion traces

chloride (Cl-): ≤200 mg/kg
sulfate (SO42-): ≤400 mg/kg
sulfide (S2-): ≤5 mg/kg
thiocyanate (SCN-): ≤100 mg/kg

cation traces

Al: ≤5 mg/kg
As: ≤0.1 mg/kg
Ba: ≤5 mg/kg
Bi: ≤5 mg/kg
Ca: ≤50 mg/kg
Cd: ≤5 mg/kg
Co: ≤5 mg/kg
Cr: ≤5 mg/kg
Cu: ≤5 mg/kg
Fe: ≤100 mg/kg
Li: ≤5 mg/kg
Mg: ≤5 mg/kg
Mn: ≤5 mg/kg
Mo: ≤5 mg/kg
Na: ≤5000 mg/kg
Ni: ≤5 mg/kg
Pb: ≤5 mg/kg
Sr: ≤5 mg/kg
Zn: ≤5 mg/kg

λ

1 M in H2O

UV absorption

λ: 260 nm Amax: 0.06
λ: 280 nm Amax: 0.03

SMILES string

[K]C#N

InChI

1S/CN.K/c1-2;

InChI key

YUZRZFQHUCKACF-UHFFFAOYSA-N

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Application

Potassium cyanide is use to inhibit oxidative phosphorylation reactions in a wide variety of biological systems and applications.

Other Notes

Blocks electron transport to oxygen via cytochrome oxidase, hence employed in the determination of succinate dehydrogenase in submitochondrial particles by preventing substantial loss of succinate by electron flux to O2

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 1 Oral - Acute Tox. 2 Dermal - Acute Tox. 2 Inhalation - Aquatic Acute 1 - Aquatic Chronic 1 - Met. Corr. 1 - STOT RE 1

Target Organs

Thyroid

Supplementary Hazards

Storage Class Code

6.1A - Combustible acute toxic Cat. 1 and 2 / very toxic hazardous materials

WGK

WGK 3

Flash Point(F)

Not applicable

Flash Point(C)

Not applicable

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

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Pascaline Clerc et al.
Journal of bioenergetics and biomembranes, 39(2), 158-166 (2007-04-21)
We have studied the effect of nitric oxide (NO) and potassium cyanide (KCN) on oxidative phosphorylation efficiency. Concentrations of NO or KCN that decrease resting oxygen consumption by 10-20% increased oxidative phosphorylation efficiency in mitochondria oxidizing succinate or palmitoyl-L-carnitine, but
EPR and other properties of succinate dehydrogenase.
T Ohnishi et al.
Methods in enzymology, 53, 483-495 (1978-01-01)
Mammalian succinate dehydrogenase.
B A Ackrell et al.
Methods in enzymology, 53, 466-483 (1978-01-01)
Yudong Wang et al.
The Journal of biological chemistry, 285(39), 29834-29841 (2010-07-29)
Fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are key pathways involved in cellular energetics. Reducing equivalents from FAO enter OXPHOS at the level of complexes I and III. Genetic disorders of FAO and OXPHOS are among the most frequent
Vikhyat S Bebarta et al.
Annals of emergency medicine, 64(6), 612-619 (2014-04-22)
Hydroxocobalamin is a Food and Drug Administration-approved antidote for cyanide poisoning. Cobinamide is a potential antidote that contains 2 cyanide-binding sites. To our knowledge, no study has directly compared hydroxocobalamin with cobinamide in a severe, cyanide-toxic large-animal model. Our objective

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