What anions does the loss of a proton from HOCN and HNCO produce? Are they same or different?

Question

What anions does the loss of a proton from $\ce{HOCN}$ and $\ce{HNCO}$ produce? Are they same or different?

Once, I had asked my teacher if $\ce{HCN}$ and $\ce{ HNC }$ are different or same compunds, he said they were different and yes, they had different structures. Applying the same logic here, $\ce{OCN-}$ and $\ce{NCO-}$ are different anions because they'll have different structures.

Slightly related: https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/53568/what-is-the-structural-formula-of-alkali-hypohalite-mox-or-mxo — Nilay Ghosh, Mar 23 '18 at 12:34

score 6 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 23 '18 at 11:44

6

When they are bonded to hydrogen that is $\ce{HOCN}$ $\ce{HNCO}$. The two compounds will be different:

enter image description here

From Wikipedia

Organic cyanates are called isocyanates when there is a $\ce{C−NCO}$ bond and cyanates when there is a $\ce{C−OCN}$ bond.

Due to resonance after deprotonation the two anions will be the same.

enter image description here

edited Mar 23 '18 at 11:44

Gaurang Tandon

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answered Mar 23 '18 at 07:33

Avyansh Katiyar

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What anions does the loss of a proton from HOCN and HNCO produce? Are they same or different?

1 Answers1