Carbon tetrachloride, explosion solvent

Carbon tetrachloride must not be dried with sodium as an explosion may result. Fire extinguishers containing this solvent (e.g., Pyrene ) cannot therefore be applied to a fire originating from sodium. 

Preussmann, R., Angew. Chem., 1963, 75, 642 Removal of the solvent carbon tetrachloride (in which nitrosation had been effected) at ambient, rather than reduced, pressure caused a violent explosion at the end of distillation. Lowest possible temperatures should be maintained in the preparation. Other precursors seem more suitable as sources of diazomethane. 

Although apparently stable standing in contact, mixtures of sodium with a range of halogenated alkane solvents are metastable and capable of initiation to explosion by shock or impact. Carbon tetrachloride [1,2,3], chloroform, dichloromethane... 

A mixture of powdered zirconium and carbon tetrachloride exploded violently while being heated [1], and immersion of zirconium sponge in the unheated solvent also caused explosion [2],... 

Used industrially as a chemical intermediate in the production of rayon, carbon tetrachloride, xanthogenates, flotation agents, and pesticides used in the cold vulcanization of vulcanized rubber, in adhesive compositions for food packaging as a solvent for phosphorus, sulfur, selenium, bromine, iodine, fats, resins, rubbers, waxes, lacquers, camphor, resins and in the production of optical glass, paints, enamels, varnishes, paint removers, tallow, putty preservatives, rubber cement, soil disinfectants, explosives, rocket fuel, and electronic vacuum tubes. 

Solvents such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, which contain chlorine, should on no account be dried with sodium, because of the danger of explosion. 

Carbon tetrachloride is not recommended as an eluting solvent in the chromatographic separation of boranes, carbaboranes or their derivatives because of the danger of explosion [1], Use of a carbon tetrachloride extinguisher on a diborane fire caused a violent explosion [2],... 

Among the several other esters of sucrose that have been described, the octanitrate deserves some mention. This substance has been known for many years and has possible uses as an explosive, although Marshall states that it is probably too unstable in its sirupy form to be used as an explosive. Since that time, however, new methods of manufacture have been described and the octanitrate of sucrose may be obtained in a highly purified and crystalline form. The nitration is carried out with a nitric acid-sulfuric acid mixture in the presence of nitrated butyl lactate and carbon tetrachloride. By using different proportions of these solvents and also others, the form in which sucrose octanitrate separates can be varied at will so that it is possible to obtain the nitrated sugar in a form suitable for blasting operations. 

As examples of vapors may be cited those of petroleum hydrocarbons in petroleum refining plants, vapors of solvents (such as alcohol, ether, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, carbon disulfide, etc used in plants manufg expls and propints) vapors of liquid expls (such as DNB, DNT, NG, NGc, DEGDN, etc), and vapors of liquids (such as benzene, toluene or xylene) used as primary materials in the manuf of expls such as TNB, TNT or TNX. Some solid expls such as TNT evolve, when in molten condition, explosive vapors... 

Hydrocarbon solvents, their flammability not withstanding, are the only acceptable degreasing agents for alkali metals which are known to react explosively with chlorinated hydrocarbons such as carbon tetrachloride. This special care in the selection of wetting agents should be exercised when ball milling operations are undertaken... 

Alkali metals with chlorinated solvents. The alkali metals sodium, potassium and lithium (and also other metals, e.g. aluminium and magnesium, especially when finely divided), are all violently reactive towards halogenated organic compounds, notably the common chlorinated solvents such as carbon tetrachloride. Lumps or chips of these metals should never be washed with halogenated solvents - a violent explosion can result. 

Mixtures of lithium shavings and several halocarbon derivatives are impact-sensitive and will explode, sometimes violently [1,2]. Such materials include bromoform, carbon tetrabromide, carbon tetrachloride, carbon tetraiodide, chloroform, dichloromethane, diiodomethane, fhiorotrichloromethane, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane. In an operational incident, shearing samples off a lithium billet immersed in carbon tetrachloride caused an explosion and continuing combustion of the immersed metal [3]. Lithium which had been washed in carbon tetrachloride to remove traces of oil exploded when cut with a knife. Hexane is recommended as a suitable washing solvent [4]. A few drops of carbon tetrachloride on burning lithium was without effect, but a 25 cc portion caused a violent explosion [5]. 

A paste of zinc powder and carbon tetrachloride (with kieselguhr as thickener) will readily burn after ignition by a high-temperature primer [1]. Intimate mixtures of chlorinated rubber with powdered zinc (or its oxide) in presence or absence of hydrocarbon or halocarbon solvents react violently or explosively at about 216°C... 

Boranes. Explosions may result from the use of carbon tetrachloride as an eluting solvent in the chromatographic separation of boranes.4... 

Practically the same method can be used for the preparation of o-nitro- -chlorophenylsulfur chloride (m.p. 95—970) the chlorination of the disulfide (m.p. 212-213°) in this case proceeds much more slowly. 2,4-Dinitrophenylsulfur chloride can be prepared by the chlorination of the corresponding disulfide in nitrobenzene suspension at 120-130°. As the chloride is of an explosive nature the solvent must be removed by distillation in vacuo at 130°. The crude material melts at 89-92°. After crystallization from carbon tetrachloride it melts at 94-95°. 

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