Editing Hydrogen cyanide (section)

==Structure and general properties==
Hydrogen cyanide is a [[Linear molecular geometry|linear molecule]], with a [[triple bond]] between [[carbon]] and [[nitrogen]]. The [[tautomer]] of HCN is HNC, [[hydrogen isocyanide]].{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

=== Smell ===
Much literature has historically claimed that hydrogen cyanide smells of [[almonds]] or [[Almond#Sweet and bitter almonds|bitter almonds]]. However, there has been considerable confusion and disagreement over this, because the smell of household almond essence is due to [[benzaldehyde]], which is released ''along with'' hydrogen cyanide from the breakdown of [[amygdalin]] present in some plant seeds, and thus is often mistaken for it.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/47204/how-do-people-know-hcn-smells-like-almonds | title = How do people know HCN smells like almonds? }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/80564/do-almonds-smell-like-they-do-because-of-cyanide | title = Do almonds smell like they do because of cyanide? }}</ref> In an experiment to test what hydrogen cyanide smells like, the chemistry [[Youtuber]] Nigel Braun, a.k.a. [[NileRed]], described the smell as "''not at all like an almond''" but like "''weak bleach or chlorine''" or "''swimming pools''".<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYagO-nup6c | title = Does cyanide actually smell like almonds? | website = [[YouTube]] | date = 31 October 2020 }}</ref>

About half of people are unable to [[olfactory system|detect]] the smell of hydrogen cyanide owing to a recessive [[gene]]tic [[Trait (biological)|trait]].<ref>{{cite web | work = [[Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man]] | url = https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/304300 | title = Cyanide, inability to smell | access-date = 2010-03-31 }}</ref>

The [[volatility (chemistry)|volatile]] compound has been used as inhalation [[rodenticide]] and human poison, as well as for killing whales.<ref name=irons>{{Cite web| vauthors = Lytle T |title=Poison Harpoons|url=http://www.whalecraft.net/Poison_Irons.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215100154/http://www.whalecraft.net/Poison_Irons.html|archive-date=2019-02-15|website=Whalecraft.net}}</ref> Cyanide ions interfere with iron-containing respiratory enzymes.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}