The complex cyanides of chromium(II) and chromium(0)

Summary Chromium(II) cyanide dihydrate has been isolated from the reaction between aqueous chromium(II) and KCN; it can be dehydrated at 100°in vacuo. From the red solutions containing an excess of cyanide, crystalline hexacyanochromates(II) M₄[Cr(CN)₆] (M=Na or K) have been isolated: these are dihydrates at room temperature, but become anhydrous when dried at 100°in vacuo. In liquid ammonia, the hexacyanochromates(II) are reduced to the chromium(O) compounds M₆Cr(CN)₆ by the respective alkali metals. All of these compounds are extremely air-sensitive and are low spin; i.r. and reflectance spectra are reported as well as x-ray powder data for Na₄[Cr(CN)₆], K₄[Cr(CN)₆] and K₆Cr(CN)₆.