Cyanoate

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A salt or ester of cyanoic acid, typically used in organic synthesis or as a component in certain adhesives and coatings
2. A chemical compound characterized by the presence of the cyanoate group, often utilized in industrial applications
3. An anionic species derived from combining cyanide with a hydroxyl group, commonly employed in various chemical processes

Etymology: The clue sits in the first syllable. "Cyano-" comes from the Greek "kyanos," meaning deep blue, which is also the root of the colour name "cyan." The link is historical: cyanide compounds were first obtained from Prussian blue, a dark blue pigment, so the colour was built into the names of a whole family of chemicals. The ending "-ate" follows an older chemical convention. Salts and esters of acids whose names end in "-oic" take the ending "-oate," as in acetic acid giving acetate. "Cyanoate" therefore names a compound derived from a cyano-based acid, combined with a base or an alcohol. The pattern is systematic, and it is why chemists can read a compound's acid parent from its name.

Synonyms: cyanate