Inorganic chemistry,cyanopolyynes are a family oforganic compounds with thechemical formulaHC_nN (n = 3,5,7,…) and thestructural formulaH−[C≡C−]_nC≡N (n = 1,2,3,…). Structurally, they arepolyynes with acyano group (−C≡N)covalently bonded to one of the terminalacetylene units (H−C≡C).

A rarely seen group of molecules both due to the difficulty in production and the unstable nature of the paired groups, the cyanopolyynes have been observed as a major organic component ininterstellar clouds.^[1] This is believed to be due to the hydrogen scarcity of some of these clouds. Interference with hydrogen is one of the reasons for the molecule's instability due to the energetically favorable dissociation back intohydrogen cyanide and acetylene.^[2]

Cyanopolyynes were first discovered in interstellar molecular clouds in 1971 usingmillimeter wave andmicrowave telescopes.^[1] Since then many higher weight cyanopolyynes such asHC
₇N andHC
₁₁N have been discovered, although some of these identifications have been disputed. Other derivatives such as methylcyanoacetyleneCH
₃C
₃N and ethylcyanoacetyleneCH
₃CH
₂C
₃N have been observed as well.^[3] The simplest example iscyanoacetylene, H−C≡C−C≡N. Cyanoacetylene is more common on Earth and it is believed to be the initial reagent for most of thephotocatalyzed formation of the interstellar cyanopolyynes. Cyanoacetylene is one of the molecules that was produced in theMiller–Urey experiment and is expected to be found in carbon-rich environments.^[4]

Identification is made through comparison of experimental spectrum with spectrum gathered from the telescope. This is commonly done with measurement of therotational constant, the energy of the rotational transitions, or a measurement of the dissociation energy. These spectra can either be generatedab initio from acomputational chemistry program or, such as with the more stablecyanoacetylene, by direct measurement of the spectra in an experiment. Once the spectra are generated, the telescope can scan within certain frequencies for the desired molecules. Quantification can be accomplished as well to determine the density of the compounds in the cloud.

The formation of cyanopolyynes in interstellar clouds is time-dependent. The formation of cyanopolyyne was studied and the abundances calculated in the dark cloudTMC-1. In the early days of the TMC-1, the governing reactions were ion–molecule reactions. During this time cyanoacetylene,HC₃N, formed through a series of ion-neutral reactions, with the final chemical reaction being:

C₃H₂ + N → HC₃N + H

However, for time after 10,000 years the dominant reactions were neutral–neutral reactions and two reaction mechanisms for the formation of cyanopolyynes became possible.

1. HCN + C₂H₂ → HC₃N
2. C_nH₂ + CN → HC_n+1 + H    forn = 4, 6, 8

The reaction mechanism that occurs in the present day depends on the environment of the cloud. For the first reaction mechanism to take place, the cloud must contain an abundance ofC₂H. The second reaction mechanism occurs if there is an abundance ofC₂H₂.C₂H andC₂H₂ exist in different conditions, so the formation of cyanopolyynes relies on high accessibility to either molecule. The calculations by Winstanley show thatphotoionization anddissociation reactions play a profound role in the abundances of cyanopolyynes after about 1 million years. However, the fractional abundances of cyanopolyyne are less affected by changes inradiation field intensity past time 1 million years because the prevailing neutral-neutral reactions surpass the effects of photoreactions.^[5]

Cyanopolyynes are relatively common ininterstellar clouds, where they were first detected in 1971. As with many other molecules the cyanopolyynes are detected with aspectrometer which records thequantum energy levels of the electrons within the atoms.^[6] This measurement is done with a source of light which passes through the desired molecule. The light interacts with the molecule and can either absorb the light or reflect it, as not all light behaves the same way. This separates the light into a spectrum with alterations due to the molecule in question. This spectrum is recorded by a computer which is able to determine which wavelengths of the spectrum have been altered in some way. With the wide range of light affected the wavelengths can be determined by looking for spikes in the spectrum. The detection process usually happens within the outer ranges of theelectromagnetic spectrum, usually ininfrared orradio waves.^[7]

The spectrum is able to show the energy of the rotational state due to the wavelengths that are absorbed by the molecule; using theserotational transitions the energy level of each electron can be shown to determine the identity of the molecule. Rotational transitions can be determined by this equation:^[8]

${\displaystyle V(J)=2B_{0}J-4D_0{J}^3}$

where

B₀ is the rotational distortion constant for the vibrational ground state

D₀ is thecentrifugal distortion constant for the vibrational ground state

J is thetotal angular momentumquantum number

This shows that the rotational distortion of an atom is related to the vibrational frequency of the molecule in question. With this ability to detect the cyanopolyynes these molecules have been recorded in several places around the galaxy. Such places include the atmosphere onTitan and the gas clouds that are withinnebulae and the confines of dying stars.^[9]

Species as large asHC
₉N were detected inTaurus Molecular Cloud 1, where they are believed to be formed by reaction of atomicnitrogen withhydrocarbons.^[10] For a while,HC
₁₁N held the record as the largest molecule detected in interstellar space, but its identification was challenged.^[11][12]

• Diacetylene, H−C≡C−C≡C−H

• Nitriles
• Polyynes

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• Short description is different from Wikidata