What is the taste of Potassium cyanide?

Answer 1

Potassium cyanide is the inorganic compound with the formula KCN. This colorless crystalline compound, similar in appearance to sugar, is highly soluble in water. The vast majority of KCN is used in gold mining followed by use in organic synthesis, and electroplating. Smaller applications include jewelry for chemical gilding and buffing. Highly toxic, KCN is odorless but due to hydrolysis, solids emit small amounts of hydrogen cyanide, which smells like bitter almonds (not everyone can smell it-the ability thereof is due to a genetic trait.). It is also used by entomologists as a killing agent in collecting jars, as most insects succumb within seconds, minimizing damage of even the most fragile types.

Answer 2

Industrially it's usually made by reacting prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) with potassium hydroxide. That won't help you if you're planning to make it yourself, since the usual laboratory preparation for hydrogen cyanide is the reaction of a strong acid with a cyanide salt, such as potassium cyanide. > Or by treating formamide with potassium hydroxide. HCONH2 + KOH → KCN + 2H2O

Answer 3

Potassium cyanide is basic in nature because on hydrolysis it forms a strong base KOH and weak acid HCN. Since HCN is a gas at room temperature, it will evolve and solution will have more KOH and thus be bitter. Apparently it has the taste of Almonds and is highly toxic.

The related link supplies more information

Answer 4

Yes, it is. Good luck getting your hands on it though. You must satisfy whatever chemical company you are tryint to order it from that you've got authorization or some license to buy potassium cyanide.

Answer 5

Small quantities of cyanide are found in peach pits and bitter almonds.

Answer 6

Potassium cyanide is an extremely toxic salt with the formula KCN. Its toxicity comes from the cyanide ion (CN-).

Despite its toxicity potassium cyanide if often used in mining gold.