The fact that bitter almonds from PTlmus amygdalus trees are capable

ofproducing the toxic gas, prussic acid or hydrogen cyanide (HCN) has been known

from time immemorial. I t has also been known for many years. since about

1800, that release of HCN is related to the presence in intact plants of

substances called cyanogenic glycosides, which give HCN on either enzymic

or non-enzymic hydrolysis. The ease of detection ofHCN, by its smell of ' bitter

almonds' or more reliably (and safely) with picrate paper, has meant that

many surveys of plants for cyanogenesis have been carried out. By contrast,

chemical studies of the cyanogenic glycosides have been relatively restricted

and at present only some thirty such compounds have been fully characterized.

HCN is released from cyanogenic glycosides according to the scheme: