Carbon monophosphide
Carbon monophosphide is a diatomic chemical with formula CP. It is cousin of CS and the cyanide radical. 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.The simple diatomic radical carbon monophosphide was detected in the circumstellar envelope of the star IRC +10216 in 1990. The identification was made by matching 10 rotational lines observed with the IRAM 30m radiotelescope.
