Dicarbon monoxide
Dicarbon monoxide is a molecule that contains two carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. It is a linear molecule that, because of its simplicity, is of interest in a variety of areas. It is, however, so extremely reactive that it is not encountered in everyday life. It is classified as a cumulene and an oxocarbon.Occurrence
Dicarbon monoxide is a product of the photolysis of carbon suboxide:
It is stable enough to observe reactions with NO and NO2.
Called ketenylidene in organometallic chemistry, it is a ligand observed in metal carbonyl clusters, e.g. +. Ketenylidenes are proposed as intermediates in the chain growth mechanism of the Fischer-Tropsch Process, which converts carbon monoxide and hydrogen to hydrocarbon fuels.
The organophosphorus compound 3PCCO contains the C2O functionality. Sometimes called Bestmann's Ylide, it is a yellow solid.
