Astrochemistry Laboratory
Interstellar Molecules - The Cosmic Ice Laboratory - Sciences and Exploration Directorate - NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The Cosmic Ice Laboratory - Interstellar Molecules

The Cosmic Ice Laboratory - Interstellar Molecules


"?" indicates an uncertain or controversial detection.
Molecules in blue have been identified in the ice phase as well as the gas phase.

Molecules with Two Atoms

H2
hydrogen

CO
carbon monoxide

CSi
carbon monosilicide

CP
carbon monophosphide

CS
carbon monosulfide

NO
nitric oxide

NS
nitric sulfide

SO
sulfur monoxide

HCl
hydrogen chloride

NaCl
sodium chloride

KCl
potassium chloride

AlCl
aluminum monochloride

AlF
aluminum monofluoride

PN
phosphorus mononitride

SiN
silicon mononitride

SiO
silicon monoxide

SiS
silicon monosulfide

NH
imidyl radical

OH
hydroxyl radical

C2
diatomic carbon

CN
cyanide radical

HF
hydrogen fluoride

FeO
iron monoxide

LiH
lithium hydride

CH
methylidyne

CH+

CO+

SO+

SH
mercapto radical

O2
oxygen

N2
nitrogen

CF+
carbon monofluoride cation

PO
phosphorus monoxide

AlO
aluminum monoxide

Molecules with Three Atoms

H2O
water

H2S
hydrogen sulfide

HCN
hydrogen cyanide

HNC
hydrogen isocyanide

CO2
carbon dioxide

SO2
sulfur dioxide

MgCN
magnesium cyanide

MgNC
magnesium isocyanide

NaCN
sodium cyanide

N2O
nitrous oxide

NH2
amidogen radical

OCS
carbonyl sulfide

CH2
methylene

HCO
formyl radical

C3
triatomic carbon

C2H
ethynyl radical

C2O
ketenylidene

C2S
thioxoethenylidene

AlNC
aluminum isocyanide

HNO
nitrosyl hydride

SiCN
silicon monocyanide

N2H+

SiNC
silicon isocyanide

c - SiC2
silicon dicarbide

HCO+
formyl cation

HOC+

HCS+

H3+

OCN-
solid-phase only

HCP
phosphaethyne

CCP

Molecules with Four Atoms

NH3
ammonia

H2CO (?)
formaldehyde

H2CS
thioformaldehyde

C2H2
acetylene

HNCO
isocyanic acid

HNCS
thioisocyanic acid

H3O+
hydronium ion

SiC3
silicon tricarbide

C3S
tricarbonsulfide

H2CN
methylene amidogen

c - C3H
cyclopropynylidyne

l - C3H
propynlidyne

HCCN

CH3
methyl radical

C2CN
cyanoethynyl radical

C3O

HCNH+

HOCO+
protonated CO2

C3N-

HCNO
fulminic acid

HSCN

H2O2
hydrogen peroxide

Molecules with Five Atoms

CH4
methane

SiH4
silane

CH2NH
methyleneimine

NH2CN
cyanamide

CH2CO
ketene

HCOOH (?)
formic acid

HCC-CN
cyanoacetylene

HCC-NC
isocyanoacetylene

c - C3H2
cyclopropenylidene

l - C3H2

CH2CN
cyanomethyl radical

H2COH+
protonated
formaldehyde

C4Si

C5

HNCCC

C4H

C4H-

HC(O)CN
cyanoformaldehyde

Molecules with Six Atoms

CH3OH
methanol

CH3SH
methanethiol

C2H4
ethylene

H(CC)2H
diacetylene

CH3CN
methylcyanide

CH3NC
methylisocyanide

HC(O)NH2
formamide

HCC-C(O)H
propynal

HC3NH+
protonated
cyanoacetylene

HC4N
cyanopropenylidene

C5N

C5H

H2CCCC
butatrienylidene

H2CCNH
keteneimine

C5N-

c-H2C3O
cyclopropenone

Molecules with Seven Atoms

CH2CH(OH)
vinyl alcohol

c - C2H4O
ethylene oxide

HC(O)CH3
acetaldehyde

H3C-CC-H
methylacetylene

CH3NH2
methylamine

CH2CH(CN)
acrylonitrile

HCC-CC-CN
cyanobutadiyne

C6H
hexatriynyl
radical

C6H-
hexatriyne anion

Molecules with Eight Atoms

CH3COOH
acetic acid

HC(O)OCH3
methyl formate

HOCH2C(O)H
glycolaldehyde

H3C-CC-CN
cyanomethylacetylene

H2C6
hexapentaenylidene

H(CC)3H
triacetylene

H2C=CH-C(O)H
propenal

CH2CCHCN
cyanoallene

C7H

H2NCH2CN
aminoacetonitrile

Molecules with Nine Atoms

(CH3)2O
dimethyl ether

CH3CH2CN
ethylcyanide

CH3CH2OH
ethanol

CH3C4H
methylbutadiyne

HCC-CC-CC-CN
cyanohexatriyne

C8H

CH3C(O)NH2
acetamide

C8H-

CH3CHCH2
propylene

Molecules with Ten Atoms

(CH3)2CO
acetone

HOCH2CH2OH
ethylene glycol

CH3OCH2OH
methoxymethanol

H3C-CH2-C(O)H
propanal

CH3(CC)2CN
methylcyanodiacetylene

Molecules with Eleven Atoms

HCC-CC-CC-CC-CN
cyanooctatetrayne

CH3C6H
methyltriacetylene

HC(O)OCH2CH3
ethyl formate

Molecules with Twelve Atoms

C6H6
benzene

CH3CH2CH2CN
n-propyl cyanide

Molecules with Thirteen Atoms

HCC-CC-CC-CC-CC-CN
cyanodecapentayne