The substituted triazine 2,4,6-tris(4-cyanophenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine (CNPOT) was synthesised for the first time by a ball-mill activated solid-state reaction. A single crystal X-ray structure refinement revealed a channel structure and a novel trigonal cyano synthon. The (CN)₃ motif is discussed in comparison to the currently known trigonal substituted triazines described in crystal engineering.