Cyanides polymer

Ammonium cyanide [12211-52-8] NH CN, a colorless crystalline soHd, is relatively unstable, and decomposes into ammonia and hydrogen cyanide at 36°C. Ammonium cyanide reacts with ketones (qv) to yield aminonitriles. Reaction of ammonium cyanide with glyoxal produces glycine. Because of its unstable nature, ammonium cyanide is not shipped or sold commercially. Unless it is kept cool and dry, decomposition releases vapors and forms black hydrogen cyanide polymer. 

In other words, a synthetic route to polypeptides which requires only HCN and water is presented preformed a-amino acids are not necessary. According to Matthews, the pyrolysis of cyanide polymers can give nitrogen-containing heterocycles with purine and pyrimidine structures in other words, the HCN world ... 

Hydrogen cyanide is used in the synthesis of purines as well as amino acids. This is illustrated in a remarkable synthesis of adenine. If strong ammoniacal solutions of hydrogen cyanide are refluxed for a few days, adenine is obtained in up to 0.5% yield along with 4-aminoimidazole-5-carboxamide and the usual cyanide polymer.27... 

S. A. Shriver and S. E. Anderson (1965) Ligand Field Strength of the Nitrogen End of Cyanide and Structures of Cubic Cyanide Polymers. Inorg. Chem. 4, 725 (1965). 

Generally benzoins are generated by the action of sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide on aromatic aldehydes in aqueous ethanol via cyanohydrin intermediates. Benzoins may also be prepared in good yields by treating aromatic aldehydes with potassium cyanide in the presence of crown ethers in water or aptotic solvents. Other sources for cyanide in this type of condensation are tetrabutylammonium cyanide, polymer-supported cyanide and acetone cyanohydrin with KaCOs. Similarly, addition of aromatic ddehydes to a,3-unsaturated ketones can be accomplished by means of cyanide catalysis in DMF.7... 

Matthews, C.N., Nelson, J., Varma, P. and Minard, R., 1977. Deuterolysis of amino acid precursors evidence for hydrogen cyanide polymers as protein ancestors. Science, 198 622-625. 

The energetic chemical behavior of the above processes is a reflection of the autocatalytic nature of HCN polymerization reactions and suggests that the overall process could take place at much lower temperatures. In fact, the blackening of the solution, corresponding to the formation of hydrogen cyanide polymers, was observed to occur in initially colorless control samples which had been frozen and kept for sometime in a diy-ice chest. Other interesting observations on explosions, and speculations on active processes induced by products closely related to HCN may be found in the old chemical and biological literature. 

Et2Si(CH2)4- C6H4-p-Poly CN Trialkylsilyl Cyanide, Polymer-supported 766-24-9P 494... 

Y. Inoue, K. Kawaguchi, Y. Maruyatna, Y. S. Jo. and R. Cbujo, C njn.r. atudies on the micTostructure of piezoelectric oopolymcrs of vinylidene cyanide. Polymer S0 698 (1969). P. A. Mtrau and S. A. Heffner, Chain caaformation in poiyfvinylidene cyanide-vinyl ace-ute) Solid state and solution 2D orrd 3D njn.r. studies. Polymer 33 1156 (1992). 

Matthews, C. N. (1997). Hydrogen cyanide polymers from the impact of Comet P/Shoemaker/Levy 9 on Jupiter. Advance in Space Research, 19, 1087. 

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