Editing Cyanogen chloride (section)

==Synthesis, basic properties, structure==
Cyanogen chloride is a [[Linear molecular geometry|linear]] molecule with the connectivity {{chem2|Cl\sC\tN}}, as are [[Hydrogen cyanide|HCN]] and the related cyanogen halides ([[Cyanogen fluoride|FCN]], [[cyanogen bromide|BrCN]], [[Cyanogen iodide|ICN]]). The carbon and chlorine atoms are linked by a [[single bond]], and carbon and nitrogen by a [[triple bond]]. It is a linear molecule. Cyanogen chloride is produced by the oxidation of [[sodium cyanide]] with [[chlorine]]. This reaction proceeds via the intermediate [[cyanogen]] ({{chem2|(CN)2}}).<ref>{{Cite book |author1=Coleman, G. H. |title=Inorganic Syntheses |author2=Leeper, R. W. |author3=Schulze, C. C. | chapter = Cyanogen Chloride | year = 1946 | volume = 2 | pages = 90–94 | doi = 10.1002/9780470132333.ch25 |isbn=9780470132333}}</ref>
:{{chem2|NaCN + Cl2 → ClCN + [[sodium chloride|NaCl]]}}
The compound [[trimer (chemistry)|trimer]]izes in the presence of acid to the heterocycle called [[cyanuric chloride]].

Cyanogen chloride is slowly [[hydrolyzed]] by water at neutral [[pH]] to release cyanate and chloride ions:
:{{chem2|ClCN + H2O → [[cyanate|[OCN]-]] + [[Chloride|Cl-]] + 2 H+}}