noun
- Plural of cyanogen; a colorless, poisonous gas (CN)₂ composed of carbon and nitrogen, used in chemical synthesis and fumigation.
Usage: chemistry; technical
Examples
- Cyanogens are highly toxic and must be handled with extreme care in the laboratory.
- The chemist studied the properties of cyanogens to understand their reactivity.
- Industrial processes sometimes use cyanogens as intermediates in organic synthesis.
- Exposure to cyanogens can cause serious respiratory damage.