Potassium fulminate

Potassium fulminate
IUPAC name Potassium oxidoazaniumylidynemethane
Identifiers
CAS number	15736-99-9
ChemSpider	9541865 Y
Jmol-3D images	Image 1
SMILES [K+].[C-]#[N+][O-]
InChI InChI=1S/CNO.K/c1-2-3;/q-1;+1 Y Key: LOMWRVTZROPEGG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y InChI=1/CNO.K/c1-2-3;/q-1;+1 Key: LOMWRVTZROPEGG-UHFFFAOYAS
Properties
Molecular formula	CKNO
Molar mass	81.12 g mol−1
Hazards
Main hazards	Explosive
Y (verify) (what is: Y/N?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Potassium fulminate is the potassium salt of the fulminate ion. Its only use, aside from chemical demonstrations, is in the percussion caps for some early rifles. Usually prepared by reacting a potassium amalgam with mercury fulminate, it is much less sensitive due to the ionic bond between potassium and carbon, unlike the weaker covalent bond between mercury and carbon.