cyano

Cyano is a prefix and root used across chemistry, biology, and color terminology. It derives from the Greek kyanos, meaning blue, and is applied in several related but distinct ways. In chemistry, cyano denotes the cyano group, also called a nitrile group, with the formula −CN. As a substituent, cyano is used in the naming of compounds to indicate the presence of this group, as in cyanoacetic acid or other nitrile-containing molecules. Nitriles are organic compounds in which a carbon atom triple-bonds to nitrogen. They are typically relatively stable, can be hydrolyzed to carboxylic acids, or reduced to amines, and are used as intermediates in pharmaceutical and材料 syntheses. The term cyano is also encountered in common names for adhesives, notably cyanoacrylates, which polymerize quickly to form strong bonds.

In biology, cyano most often appears in reference to cyanobacteria, a phylum of photosynthetic, oxygen-producing bacteria formerly called blue-green algae. Cyanobacteria inhabit a wide range of environments, from oceans to freshwater to soil. They play key ecological roles in carbon fixation and nitrogen cycles, but certain blooms can form toxins that affect water quality and aquatic life.

In color terminology, cyano is related to cyan, a blue-green color used in printing and display technologies. The word also appears in everyday language as a shorthand or branding element for blue-green hues.

Safety notes: the root cyanide (−CN) is associated with highly toxic species, whereas nitriles and cyano-containing compounds vary in hazard.