fulminic acid
/fʌlˈmɪnɪk
/ /fʊl-/noun [mass noun] Chemistry
A very unstable acid isomeric with isocyanic acid.
- Chemical formula: HCNO.
- An entirely different rearrangement is observed for reactions involving more polar reactants, for example, the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between fulminic acid and ethyne: The bond breaking and formation now involve shifts of whole electron pairs rather that spin-recouplings.
- The friendship between Liebig and Wöhler began in 1825 after they amicably resolved a dispute over two substances that had apparently the same composition - cyanic acid and fulminic acid - but very different characteristics: the silver compound of fulminic acid, investigated by Liebig, was explosive, whereas silver cyanate, as Wöhler found, was not.
Origin
Early 19th century: fulminic from Latin fulmen, fulmin- 'lightning' + -ic.