Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The anionic univalent OCN group derived from cyanic acid, or a compound containing this group.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A salt of cyanic acid.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Chem.) A salt of cyanic acid.
  • noun (Chem.) a remarkable white crystalline substance, NH4.O.CN, which passes, on standing, to the organic compound, urea, CO.(NH2)2.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun chemistry Any salt or ester of cyanic acid

Etymologies

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Examples

  • In 1828, a Berlin scientist named Friedrich Wöhler had sparked a metaphysical storm in science by boiling ammonium cyanate, a plain, inorganic salt, and creating urea, a chemical typically produced by the kidneys.

    The Emperor of All Maladies Siddhartha Mukherjee 2010

  • In 1828, a Berlin scientist named Friedrich Wöhler had sparked a metaphysical storm in science by boiling ammonium cyanate, a plain, inorganic salt, and creating urea, a chemical typically produced by the kidneys.

    The Emperor of All Maladies Siddhartha Mukherjee 2010

  • In 1828, a Berlin scientist named Friedrich Wöhler had sparked a metaphysical storm in science by boiling ammonium cyanate, a plain, inorganic salt, and creating urea, a chemical typically produced by the kidneys.

    The Emperor of All Maladies Siddhartha Mukherjee 2010

  • As far back as 1828, Friedrich Wöhler proved the point when he synthesized urea during his attempts to make ammonium cyanate, demonstrating that compounds once considered the provenance of life (like urea) could be made from ordinary inorganic materials, all derived from the detritus of spent stars.

    Jeff Schweitzer: Redefining Life: God Need Not Apply 2010

  • The friendship between Liebig and Wöhler began in 1825 after they amicably resolved a dispute over two substances that had apparently the same composition — cyanic acid and fulminic acid — but very different characteristics: the silver compound of fulminic acid, investigated by Liebig, was explosive, whereas silver cyanate, as Wöhler found, was not.

    Von Liebig, Justus 2009

  • Perhaps the most famous creation of an isomeric compound was Wöhler's accidental synthesis of urea in 1828, when he was attempting to prepare ammonium cyanate (which he later succeeded in preparing by allowing the crystals to form at room temperature instead of by evaporating the solution).

    Wöhler, Friedrich 2007

  • The friendship between Wöhler and Liebig began in 1825 after they amicably resolved a dispute over two substances that had apparently the same composition — cyanic acid and fulminic acid — but very different characteristics: the silver compound of fulminic acid, investigated by Liebig, was explosive, whereas silver cyanate, as Wöhler found, was not.

    Wöhler, Friedrich 2007

  • Whether or not a rocket fuel, super mercuric cyanate, was on board the Helderberg airliner when it crashed off Mauritius on

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1995

  • Testifying before the Press Council hearing on Friday, Armscor marketing manager at Denell subsidiary Somchem, Lutz Feldmann, said there was no such substance as super mercuric cyanate.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1995

  • The only known similarly-named chemical was mercuric cyanate or mercuric fulminate.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1995

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