Gas ± solid reaction techniques allow quantitative cyanations with ClCN and BrCN. Three primary and four secondary cyanamides, a cyanimide, four cyanates, and four thiocyanates were all prepared as solids in 100 % yield from solid anilines, benzimidazoles, imides, phenolates, and thiolates, respectively. Intramolecular solidstate reactions of cyanated o-aminophenol and of cyanated hydrazides gave heterocyclic compounds. When comparable reactions were performed in solution the reported product yields were considerably less than 100 % in all cases. The reasons for the success of the environmentally benign solid-state syntheses are discussed in terms of phase rebuilding, phase transformation, and crystal disintegration. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of selected systems indicates the occurrence of long-range molecular movements which are governed by the crystal packing. This is evident from the obvious correlations between the molecular movements and the known crystal packing data. A new type of geometric surface feature, a rectangular and a rhombic depression which resembles a swimming-pool basin, was found in the cyanation of o-aminophenol and benzohydrazide.