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Substance Name: Potassium cyanide
RN: 151-50-8
UNII: MQD255M2ZO
InChIKey: YUZRZFQHUCKACF-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Note

  • A highly poisonous compound that is an inhibitor of many metabolic processes, but has been shown to be an especially potent inhibitor of heme enzymes and hemeproteins. It is used in many industrial processes.

Molecular Formula

  • C-K-N

Molecular Weight

  • 65.116
 

Classification Codes

Classification Codes

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Human Data
  • Mutation Data
  • Noxae
  • Poisons
  • Reproductive Effect

Superlist Classification Codes

  • Ceiling 5 mg/m3; skin
  • Reportable Quantity (RQ) = 10 lb
  • Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ) = 100 lb

Names and Synonyms

Name of Substance

  • Potassium cyanide

MeSH Heading

  • Potassium cyanide

Synonyms

  • 4-02-00-00050 (Beilstein Handbook Reference)
  • AI3-28749
  • BRN 4652394
  • Caswell No. 688A
  • Cyanide of potassium
  • Cyanure de potassium
  • Cyanure de potassium [French]
  • EC 205-792-3
  • EINECS 205-792-3
  • EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 599600
  • HSDB 1245
  • Hydrocyanic acid, potassium salt
  • Kalium cyanid
  • Kalium cyanid [German]
  • M-44 capsules (potassium cyanide)
  • Potassium cyanide
  • Potassium cyanide (K(CN))
  • RCRA waste number P098
  • UNII-MQD255M2ZO

Systematic Names

  • Potassium cyanide
  • Potassium cyanide (K(CN))

Superlist Names

  • Cyanide salts
  • Hydrogen cyanide and cyanide salts
  • Potassium cyanide
  • Potassium cyanide K(CN)
  • Potassium cyanide [UN1680] [Poison]
  • RCRA waste no. P098
  • UN1680

Registry Numbers

CAS Registry Number

  • 151-50-8

FDA UNII

  • MQD255M2ZO

Other Registry Numbers

  • 133708-36-8
  • 15745-74-1
  • 60195-52-0

System Generated Number

  • 0000151508

Structure Descriptors

InChI

1S/CN.K/c1-2;

InChIKey

YUZRZFQHUCKACF-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Smiles

C(#N)[K]

Toxicity

Organism Test Type Route Reported Dose (Normalized Dose) Effect Source
cat LD50 intravenous 2200ug/kg (2.2mg/kg)   Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Vol. 35, Pg. 316, 1936.
dog LD50 subcutaneous 6mg/kg (6mg/kg) BEHAVIORAL: CONVULSIONS OR EFFECT ON SEIZURE THRESHOLD Archiv fuer Toxikologie. Vol. 21, Pg. 89, 1965.
dog LDLo intravenous 5mg/kg (5mg/kg)   "Drug Dosages in Laboratory Animals - A Handbook," Rev. ed., Barnes, C.D., and L.G. Eltherington, Berkeley, Univ. of California Press, 1973Vol. -, Pg. 209, 1973.
frog LDLo subcutaneous 60mg/kg (60mg/kg)   Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie. Vol. 3, Pg. 77, 1897.
guinea pig LDLo intraarterial 5mg/kg (5mg/kg)   Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archiv fuer Experimentelle Pathologie und Pharmakologie. Vol. 131, Pg. 171, 1928.
guinea pig LDLo intraperitoneal 8mg/kg (8mg/kg)   Comptes Rendus des Seances de la Societe de Biologie et de Ses Filiales. Vol. 96, Pg. 202, 1927.
guinea pig LDLo intravenous 5mg/kg (5mg/kg)   Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archiv fuer Experimentelle Pathologie und Pharmakologie. Vol. 131, Pg. 171, 1928.
guinea pig LDLo subcutaneous 8mg/kg (8mg/kg)   Comptes Rendus des Seances de la Societe de Biologie et de Ses Filiales. Vol. 96, Pg. 202, 1927.
human LDLo oral 2857ug/kg (2.857mg/kg)   "Toxicology of Drugs and Chemicals," Deichmann, W.B., New York, Academic Press, Inc., 1969Vol. -, Pg. 191, 1969.
man TDLo oral 13699ug/kg (13.699mg/kg) BEHAVIORAL: COMA

BEHAVIORAL: CONVULSIONS OR EFFECT ON SEIZURE THRESHOLD		 Journal of Toxicology, Clinical Toxicology. Vol. 25, Pg. 121, 1987.
mouse LD50 intraperitoneal 5991ug/kg (5.991mg/kg)   Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. Vol. 2, Pg. 95, 1972.
mouse LD50 intravenous 2600ug/kg (2.6mg/kg) BEHAVIORAL: CONVULSIONS OR EFFECT ON SEIZURE THRESHOLD

LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: RESPIRATORY STIMULATION

PERIPHERAL NERVE AND SENSATION: FLACCID PARALYSIS WITHOUT ANESTHESIA (USUALLY NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKAGE)		 Japanese Journal of Pharmacology. Vol. 3, Pg. 99, 1954.
mouse LD50 oral 8500ug/kg (8.5mg/kg)   Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Vol. 161, Pg. 163, 1968.
mouse LD50 subcutaneous 6500ug/kg (6.5mg/kg)   Nippon Yakurigaku Zasshi. Japanese Journal of Pharmacology. Vol. 54, Pg. 1057, 1958.
pigeon LD50 intramuscular 4mg/kg (4mg/kg)   Japanese Journal of Pharmacology. Vol. 3, Pg. 99, 1954.
rabbit LD50 intramuscular 3256ug/kg (3.256mg/kg)   Journal of the American College of Toxicology. Vol. 1(3), Pg. 120, 1982.
rabbit LD50 intraperitoneal 3972ug/kg (3.972mg/kg) BLOOD: OTHER CHANGES Toxicologist. Vol. 3, Pg. 64, 1983.
rabbit LD50 ocular 7870ug/kg (7.87mg/kg) BEHAVIORAL: ATAXIA

LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: RESPIRATORY STIMULATION

SENSE ORGANS AND SPECIAL SENSES: OTHER: EYE		 Journal of Toxicology, Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology. Vol. 2, Pg. 119, 1983.
rabbit LD50 oral 5mg/kg (5mg/kg)   "Drug Dosages in Laboratory Animals - A Handbook," Rev. ed., Barnes, C.D., and L.G. Eltherington, Berkeley, Univ. of California Press, 1973Vol. -, Pg. 209, 1973.
rabbit LD50 subcutaneous 4mg/kg (4mg/kg) LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: OTHER CHANGES Japanese Journal of Pharmacology. Vol. 3, Pg. 99, 1954.
rat LD50 intraperitoneal 4mg/kg (4mg/kg) LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: OTHER CHANGES Journal of Applied Physiology. Vol. 32, Pg. 315, 1972.
rat LD50 intravenous 3600ug/kg (3.6mg/kg) BEHAVIORAL: ALTERED SLEEP TIME (INCLUDING CHANGE IN RIGHTING REFLEX)

LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: DYSPNEA

BEHAVIORAL: CONVULSIONS OR EFFECT ON SEIZURE THRESHOLD		 Drug Development Research. Vol. 5, Pg. 225, 1985.
rat LD50 oral 5mg/kg (5mg/kg)   Archives of Toxicology. Vol. 54, Pg. 275, 1983.
rat LD50 subcutaneous 7814ug/kg (7.814mg/kg)   Archives of Toxicology, Supplement. Vol. 14, Pg. 231, 1991.
rat LDLo intramuscular 8mg/kg (8mg/kg)   "Drug Dosages in Laboratory Animals - A Handbook," Rev. ed., Barnes, C.D., and L.G. Eltherington, Berkeley, Univ. of California Press, 1973Vol. -, Pg. 209, 1973.
women TDLo oral 100mg/kg (100mg/kg) VASCULAR: BP LOWERING NOT CHARACTERIZED IN AUTONOMIC SECTION

CARDIAC: PULSE RATE INCREASE WITHOUT FALL IN BP

BEHAVIORAL: CONVULSIONS OR EFFECT ON SEIZURE THRESHOLD		 American Journal of Emergency Medicine. Vol. 1, Pg. 94, 1983.