# A question about the "hottest flame" compound

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-the-hottest-flame-compound/808343>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 7, 2018, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-the-hottest-flame-compound/808343 "2018-02-07T02:17:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-the-hottest-flame-compound/808343/1 "2018-02-07T02:17:52Z")

</div>

[Dicyanoacetylene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicyanoacetylene) aka carbon subnitride. Wikipedia lists it as the hottest burning known compound, but also says:

> [@](#):
>
> Because of its high endothermic heat of formation, it can explode to carbon powder and nitrogen gas,

My question is, if it’s that unstable how can you burn it? Wouldn’t any ignition source trigger runaway decomposition?