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.
Detection in interstellar medium
Carbon monophosphide was detected in the circumstellar envelope of the star IRC 10216 in 1990, observed with the IRAM 30m radiotelescope.
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