Copper compounds metal cyanides

Cyanide occurs most commonly as hydrogen cyanide in water, although it can also occur as the cyanide ion, alkali and alkaline earth metal cyanides (potassium cyanide, sodium cyanide, calcium cyanide), relatively stable metallocyanide complexes (ferricyanide complex [Fe(CN)6]-3), moderately stable metallocyanide complexes (complex nickel and copper cyanide), or easily decomposable metallocyanide complexes (zinc cyanide [Zn(CN)2], cadmium cyanide [Cd(CN)2]). Hydrogen cyanide and cyanide ion combined are commonly termed free cyanide. The environmental fate of these cyanide compounds varies widely (Callahan et al. 1979). 

Copper forms practically aU its stable compounds in -i-l and +2 valence states. The metal oxidizes readily to -i-l state in the presence of various com-plexing or precipitating reactants. However, in aqueous solutions +2 state is more stable than -i-l. Only in the presence of ammonia, cyanide ion, chloride ion, or some other complexing group in aqueous solution, is the +1 valence state (cuprous form) more stable then the +2 (cupric form). Water-soluble copper compounds are, therefore, mostly cupric unless complexing ions or molecules are present in the system. The conversion of cuprous to cupric state and metalhc copper in aqueous media (ionic reaction, 2Cu+ — Cu° -i- Cu2+) has a Kvalue of 1.2x106 at 25°C. 

Ordinary carbon nucleophiles such as cyanide or Grignard reagents or organolithium compounds fit the patterns we have described already. They usually give the more stable product by 5 2 or 5 2 reactions depending on the starting material. If we use copper compounds, there is a tendency— no more than that—to favour the 5 2 reaction. You will recall that copper(l) was the metal we used to ensure conjugate addition to enones (Chapter 10) and its use in Sn2 reactions is obviously related. 

POTASSIUM lODATE (7758-05-6) KIO, Noncombustible solid but many chemical reactions can cause fire and explosions. A strong oxidizer. Reacts violently with many materials, including reducing agents, hydrides, nitrides, and sulfides combustible materials, organic substances, manganese dioxide, arsenic, finely divided metals or carbon materials, hydrides of alkali or alkaline earth metalss, metal cyanides, metal thiocyanates, phosphonium iodide, red phosphorus, sulfides, sulfur, xenon tetrafluoride. Forms explosive compounds with solid organic matter. Mixture of powdered aluminum forms heat-, friction-, and shock-sensitive explosive. Attacks chemically active metals (e.g, aluminum, copper, zinc, etc.). Thermal deconposition, at temperatures above 1040°F/560°C, releases toxic iodine fumes. 

Some birds may not die immediately after drinking lethal cyanide solutions. Sodium cyanide rapidly forms free cyanide in the avian digestive tract (pH 1.3-6.5), whereas formation of free cyanide from metal cyanide complexes is comparatively slow. A high rate of cyanide absorption is critical to acute toxicity, and absorption may be retarded by the lower dissociation rates of metal-cyanide complexes. In Arizona, a red-breasted merganser (Mergus senator) was found dead 20 km from the nearest known source of cyanide, and its pectoral muscle tissue tested positive for cyanide. A proposed mechanism to account for this phenomenon involves weak-acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide compounds. Cyanide bound to certain metals, usually copper, is dissociable in weak acids such as stomach acids. It has been suggested that drinking of lethal cyanide solutions by animals may not result in immediate death if the cyanide level is... 

The reductive pyrolysis of organic compounds in the presence of metals leads to the formation of the metal cyanide, which can be detected as Prussian blue (Fe4[Fe(CN)g]3) or by the copper(ii) acetate-benzidine test . Several metals and salts have been recommended for the fusion of the organic compound, e.g. potassium , sodium , magnesium mixed with potassium carbonate , zinc mixed with potassium carbonate , and a mixture of dextrose with sodium carbonate . When the compound contains sulphur the metal thiocyanate is also produced, which can be detected by ferric chloride . ... 

Although in the dry state carbon tetrachloride may be stored indefinitely in contact with some metal surfaces, its decomposition upon contact with water or on heating in air makes it desirable, if not always necessary, to add a smaH quantity of stabHizer to the commercial product. A number of compounds have been claimed to be effective stabHizers for carbon tetrachloride, eg, alkyl cyanamides such as diethyl cyanamide (39), 0.34—1% diphenylamine (40), ethyl acetate to protect copper (41), up to 1% ethyl cyanide (42), fatty acid derivatives to protect aluminum (43), hexamethylenetetramine (44), resins and amines (45), thiocarbamide (46), and a ureide, ie, guanidine (47). 

Electroplating. Aluminum can be electroplated by the electrolytic reduction of cryoHte, which is trisodium aluminum hexafluoride [13775-53-6] Na AlE, containing alumina. Brass (see COPPERALLOYS) can be electroplated from aqueous cyanide solutions which contain cyano complexes of zinc(II) and copper(I). The soft CN stabilizes the copper as copper(I) and the two cyano complexes have comparable potentials. Without CN the potentials of aqueous zinc(II) and copper(I), as weU as those of zinc(II) and copper(II), are over one volt apart thus only the copper plates out. Careful control of concentration and pH also enables brass to be deposited from solutions of citrate and tartrate. The noble metals are often plated from solutions in which coordination compounds help provide fine, even deposits (see Electroplating). 

The complexers maybe tartrate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine, nittilotriacetic acid (NTA), or some other strong chelate. Numerous proprietary stabilizers, eg, sulfur compounds, nitrogen heterocycles, and cyanides (qv) are used (2,44). These formulated baths differ ia deposition rate, ease of waste treatment, stabiHty, bath life, copper color and ductiHty, operating temperature, and component concentration. Most have been developed for specific processes all deposit nearly pure copper metal. 

Precipitation is often applied to the removal of most metals from wastewater including zinc, cadmium, chromium, copper, fluoride, lead, manganese, and mercury. Also, certain anionic species can be removed by precipitation, such as phosphate, sulfate, and fluoride. Note that in some cases, organic compounds may form organometallic complexes with metals, which could inhibit precipitation. Cyanide and other ions in the wastewater may also complex with metals, making treatment by precipitation less efficient. A cutaway view of a rapid sand filter that is most often used in a municipal treatment plant is illustrated in Figure 4. The design features of this filter have been relied upon for more than 60 years in municipal applications. 

On ferrous metals immersion deposition in the copper sulphate bath produces non-adherent deposits, and a cyanide copper undercoat is therefore normally used. Where the use of a cyanide strike cannot be tolerated, an electroplated or immersion nickel deposit has been used . Additions of surface-active agents, often preceded by a sulphuric acid pickle containing the same compound, form the basis of recent methods for plating from a copper sulphate bath directly on to steel ". 

Vinylic copper reagents react with CICN to give vinyl cyanides, though BrCN and ICN give the vinylic halide instead." Vinylic cyanides have also been prepared by the reaction between vinylic lithium compounds and phenyl cyanate PhOCN." Alkyl cyanides (RCN) have been prepared, in varying yields, by treatment of sodium trialkylcyanoborates with NaCN and lead tetraacetate." Vinyl bromides reacted with KCN, in the presence of a nickel complex and zinc metal to give the vinyl nitrile. Vinyl triflates react with LiCN, in the presence of a palladium catalyst, to give the vinyl nitrile." ... 

---