The cyanide ion has a charge of 1-. This arises from its molecular composition, which includes a carbon atom triple bonded to a nitrogen atom, with an additional electron contributing to the overall charge.
In the cyanide ion (CN⁻), the carbon has a formal oxidation state of +4, while the nitrogen typically has an oxidation state close to -3. However, because of the bonding and the presence of an extra electron, the entire ion accumulates an overall negative charge of 1.
The structure of the cyanide ion is critical to understanding its charge. The triple bond between carbon and nitrogen leads to a strong attraction that pulls the bonding electrons closer to the nitrogen, causing carbon to maintain a partial positive charge and resulting in a net charge of 1- for the ion when it's considered in a compound or solution.
Thus, recognizing that the cyanide ion is commonly depicted as CN⁻ is essential for understanding its chemistry and behavior in reactions, and the charge is an important characteristic that influences its reactivity and interactions with other species in chemical reactions.