Cyanographite

Reactions of graphite fluoride with NaCN in tetraglyme, dimethylformamide, or water lead to the formation of disordered graphitic carbon by reductive defluorination and to the oxidation of cyanide to cyanogen followed by its polymerization to paracyanogen. There is also XPS and NMR evidence for the presence of CN groups attached to the carbon in cyanographite. The product of this unselective chemistry is a composite of paracyanogen and cyanographite, having a small density of CN groups. Difficulties in the synthesis of new carbon materials from graphite fluoride are discussed.