Copper(II) cyanurate ( C₃ H Cu N₃ O₃) is an

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...

. It has very few uses, and is more often encountered accidentally, rather than actually synthesised. It is often found when the copper concentration in an outdoor

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

is too high. It also occurs with heatpumps due to acid in the insulation, and it reacts with

cyanuric acid Cyanuric acid or 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triol is a chemical compound with the formula (CNOH)3. Like many industrially useful chemicals, this triazine has many synonyms. This white, odorless solid finds use as a precursor or a component of bleaches ...

(which is added as a chlorine stabilizer) to produce copper cyanurate. This

phenomenon A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried W ...

is called 'Purple Cyanurate', as it discolours the surfaces and the

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

of the pool to a purple shade.

Synthesis

Copper cyanurate can be created by reacting cyanuric acid with copper oxide. CuO + 2C₃H₃N₃O₃ → C₃HCuN₃O₃ + H₂O. Joanneumite is a rare natural mineral found in bat guano with formula Cu(C₃N₃O₃H₂)₂(NH₃)₂ which is an ammine. By heating copper compounds, such as the nitrate or carbonate with molten urea up to 190°C, they are largely converted to the lavender coloured joanneumite compound. This is dissolved and then recrystallised from a hot strong ammonia solution. If instead a weak (2%) cold ammonia solution is used, the dark purple compound CuC₃N₃O₃H•2NH₃ is formed instead. A green coloured copper cyanurate containing no extra water or ammonia ligands also exists: Cu₃(C₃N₃O₃)₂.

Applications

Copper cyanurate has no known practical uses. The only place it commonly occurs is as an

adverse effect An adverse effect is an undesired harmful effect resulting from a Pharmaceutical drug, medication or other Surgery#Definitions, intervention, such as surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a "side effect", when judged to be secondary to a main ...

of high levels of copper in swimming pools, and is more commonly seen as a nuisance.

References

{{Reflist Copper(II) compounds Triazines