Carbon monophosphide

Carbon monophosphide is a diatomic chemical with formula CP. It is a heavier analog of the cyanide radical (CN). CP and CN are both open-shell species with doublet Π ground electronic states while the ground states of CS and CO are closed-shell. The related anion, CP⁻, is called cyaphide and isoelectronic with CS.

Carbon monophosphide

Names
Preferred IUPAC name Phosphanylidynemethyl
Other names Carbon phosphide Carbon monophosphide Phosphidocarbonate(II) Cyaphogenyl radical
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
PubChem CID	102183332
InChI InChI=1S/CP/c1-2 Key: GDPLAAHPHNAIGW-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES [C]#P
Properties
Chemical formula	CP
Molar mass	42.985 g·mol−1
Related compounds
Related compounds	CN SiP CCP radical, HCP
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Detection in interstellar medium

Carbon monophosphide was detected in the circumstellar envelope of the star IRC +10216 in 1990,^[1] observed with the IRAM 30m radiotelescope.^[1]