Cyanat

Cyanat is a chemical compound with the formula OCN. It is an anion, a negatively charged ion, and is the conjugate base of cyanic acid. The cyanate ion consists of a central carbon atom double bonded to one oxygen atom and single bonded to a nitrogen atom. It can also be represented with a triple bond between carbon and nitrogen and a single bond to oxygen. The cyanate ion is isoelectronic with the fulminate ion and the azide ion. It is a linear ion.

Cyanates are salts containing the cyanate ion. Common examples include potassium cyanate (KOCN) and sodium cyanate (NaOCN). These salts are typically white crystalline solids. Cyanates can be formed by the thermal decomposition of urea or by the reaction of metal cyanides with oxygen. They are important intermediates in some industrial processes, such as the production of herbicides and pharmaceuticals. In aqueous solution, cyanates can undergo hydrolysis, eventually breaking down into carbon dioxide and ammonia or related nitrogen compounds. The stability of cyanates in solution is dependent on pH and temperature.