CYANAMID MANUI^ACTUR^, CHE^MISTRY AND USKS 1 3 



Hence, with strong acids and strong bases, cyanamide in 

 aqueous solutions forms principally urea; with weak acids 

 principally ammonium salts; with weak bases dicyandiamide, 

 which decomposes further to ammonia; with lime, a mixture 

 of urea, dicyandiamide and other derivatives. 



Action of Oxidizing and Reducing Agents. — In the chapter 

 on availability it will be shown that oxidizing agents convert 

 the nitrogen of cyanamide or its derivatives into forms more 

 insoluble in water and less easily decomposed by strong 

 alkalies. 



By the action of zinc and hydrochloric acid, cyanamide yields 

 ammonia and methylamine: 



CN. NH, + H, — CNH + NH3, 

 CNH H- 2H, —V CH3 .NH,. 



On heating with potassium nitrite solution a violent reaction 

 takes place, and COo, N2 and dicyandiamide are produced : 

 4CN.NH, + 4KNO2 ^ 2K,C03 + 4N2 + (CN.NHJ, + 2H,0. 



Other Reactions.^ — In cyanamide, either one or both of the 

 hydrogen atoms can be displaced by metals, alkyl or aryl 

 groups, or by alcohol or acid radicals. It combines with 

 amino-acids, especially in the presence of ammonia. It com- 

 bines with ammonium chloride at high temperatures, forming 

 guanidine hydrochloride. Heated with ammonium sulphide 

 it yields guanidine hydrosulphide. It combines directly with 

 cyanogen to form a yellow, amorphous powder. With potas- 

 sium cyanate it forms potassium amidodicyanate, K.C2H2N3O. 

 It combines directly with chloral, and also with aldehydes, but 

 with the separation of water. 



Metal Salts. — The dimetal salts of the alkali metals can be 

 prepared only in the dry way, since in aqueous solution they 

 lose one of the metal ions by hydrolysis. Thus, NasCNg in 

 aqueous solution yidds NaHCNg: 



Na,CN, + H,0 = NaHCN, + NaOH 

 1 Beilstein, Handbuch der Org. Chem. 



