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Topic: Why a polyatomic ion Cn has a charge of negative 1?  (Read 8991 times)

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ReVeR

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Why a polyatomic ion Cn has a charge of negative 1?
« on: December 28, 2005, 09:31:27 PM »
Hello.
I was wondering why a polyatomic ion Cn has a charge of negative 1.. i mean does it randomle get 1 extra electron or why?
Thx
« Last Edit: December 29, 2005, 01:10:39 PM by Mitch »

Offline jdurg

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Re:CN question
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2005, 10:57:33 PM »
Yes, actually.  The CN ion grabs an electron from something like a metal or hydrogen to get that negative charge.  That's why CN doesn't really exist, but NaCN, LiCN, KCN, RbCN, CsCN, HCN, etc. do exist.  The metal/hydrogen donates its electron to the CN ion forming M+CN-.
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Offline Alberto_Kravina

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Re:CN question
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2005, 11:15:02 AM »
Quote
That's why CN doesn't really exist
Correct! But there is a compound that has the formula (CN)2, it is called "cyanogen"  :)

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Re:CN question
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2005, 11:32:50 AM »
I posted this information not long ago. CN- is isoelectronic with very stable particle - N2.
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ReVeR

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Re:CN question
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2005, 12:24:55 PM »
what does the mean? the isoelectronic with N2?

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Re:CN question
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2005, 01:00:09 PM »
It has identical orbitals and identical number of electrons. N2 is very stable particle, which means that its structure (in terms of electrons/orbitals) has very low energy. If you remove one proton you have an ion CN- - it is less stable, but 'inherits' some of its stability from the N2.

Note that this stability is present also in nitrosonium ion (NO+) - here we add one proton to particle. Nitrosonium is stable enough to allow preparation of salts - like nitrosonium perchlorate. But that's rather exotic particle.
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