A colourless liquid or gas, HCN, with a characteristic odour of almonds; r.d. 0.699 (liquid at 22°C); m.p. –14°C; b.p. 26°C. It is an extremely poisonous substance formed by the action of acids on metal cyanides. Industrially, it is made by catalytic oxidation of ammonia and methane with air and is used in producing acrylate plastics. Hydrogen cyanide is a weak acid (Ka = 2.1 × 10−9 mol dm−3). With organic carbonyl compounds it forms cyanohydrins.