Cyanogen

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A colorless, inflammable, poisonous gas, C2N2, with a peach-blossom odor, so called from its tendency to form blue compounds;obtained by heating ammonium oxalate, mercuric cyanide, etc. It isobtained in combination, forming an alkaline cyanide when nitrogen ora nitrogenous compound is strongly ignited with carbon and soda orpotash. It conducts itself like a member of the halogen group ofelements, and shows a tendency to form complex compounds. The name isalso applied to the univalent radical, CN (the half molecule ofcyanogen proper), which was one of the first compound radicalsrecognized.