Hi Owen,

Prussic blue is not a precursor to the modern commercial synthesis of cyanide, HCN, hydrogen cyanide, but HCN was first isolated from the pigment Prussian Blue (FE7(CN)18) [I can’t do the subscripts on the list]. HCN was called prussic acid because of this. HCN is about the most poisonous toxin there is, but Prussian Blue is entirely harmless. You can drink blue fountain pen ink. [But it does not taste that great.]

HCN is synthesised in an oxidation process from methane and ammonia. Deriving it from the complex structure of Prussian Blue, while possible, would be too expensive for production and unnecessarily complex.

HCN is made not as a poison, but because it itself is a precursor for the synthesis of many products such as plastics and especially pharmeceutical drugs and medicines.

Andrew




On 17/02/2016, 03:09, "Harpsichords and Related Topics on behalf of Owen Daly" <[log in to unmask] on behalf of [log in to unmask]> wrote:

Prussian blue can be a precursor to the manufacture of the deadly poisonous prussic acid (what we commonly call “cyanide”)


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Note:  opinions  expressed on HPSCHD-L are those of the  individual con-
tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
versity of Iowa.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
[log in to unmask]  saying  HELP .
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::