Carbides, Cyanides, Cyanamides, and Amides

The reactive metals of Groups IA and IIA will react at elevated temperatures with carbon and silicon to give binary compounds. Of all the possible carbide compounds, by far the most important of the carbides is calcium carbide, CaC2. This compound is properly considered as an acetylide because its reaction with water produces acetylene  

Other carbides, such as AI4C3 should be considered as methanides because they react with water to produce methane  

Calcium acetylide is produced by heating lime and coke at very high temperature according to the equation 

A flint ignites the gas jet, and the lamp can be used for a considerable time before refilling is required. 

A second important use of calcium acetylide is in the manufacture of calcium cyanamide, CaCN2, which is prepared by the reaction of CaC2 with N2 at high temperature  

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