Fire, lithium aluminum hydride

Red Adair. BrainyQuote available at http //www.hrainyquote.com/ quotes/quotes/r/redadairl95669.html (accessed March 15, 2009). American Industrial Hygiene Association Laboratory Health and Safety Committee. Laboratory Safety Incidents Fires. Lithium Aluminum Hydride Fire available at http //www2.umdnj.edu/eohssweb/ aiha/accidents/fire.htm Aluminium (accessed September 14, 2009). 

Perfluorosuccinamide-Lithium Aluminum Hydride (Danger of Explosion). In an attempt to reduce perfluorosuccinamide to the corresponding diamine, it was added to an ether soln of lithium aluminum hydride in a nitrogen atm. Hydrolysis was then attempted, but as a second drop of w was added, a violent expln and ether fire resulted. It was shown that the diamide and the lithium aluminum hydride reacted to give an unstable complex which detonated at room temp Ref T.S. Reid G.H. Smith, C EN 29,3042 (1951) CA 46, 3279 (1952)... 

Lithium aluminum hydride squeezed, or smashed, may cause a fire. 

Contact of lithium aluminum hydride with water may cause fire or explosion. 

Opening of a bottle where some particles of lithium aluminum hydride were squeezed between the neck and the stopper caused a fire [68]. Lithium aluminum hydride must not be crushed in a porcelain mortar with a pestle. Fire and even explosion may result from contact of lithium aluminum hydride with small amounts of water or moisture. Sodium bis(2-methoxy-ethoxy)aluminum hydride (Vitride, Red-Al ) delivered in benzene or toluene solutions also may ignite in contact with water. Borane (diborane) ignites in contact with air and is therefore kept in solutions in tetrahydrofuran or in complexes with amines and sulfides. Powdered lithium borohydride may ignite in moist air. Sodium borohydride and sodium cyanoborohydride, on the other hand, are considered safe. ... 

Lithium aluminum hydride is a flammable substance. It ignites spontaneously on grinding and reacts violently with water and many organic substances. Diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran or another suitable solvent should be used in its synthetic applications. Dry or powdered limestone is an appropriate fire extinguishing agent. 

Lithium aluminum hydride is not safe for drying methyl ethers (Ref 86). Tetrahydrofuran can cause fire when used as a solvent for LiAlH. 

Ethyl acetate can react vigorously with strong oxidizers, strong alkalis, strong acids, and nitrates to cause fires or explosions. It also reacts vigorously with chlorosulfonic acid, lithium aluminum hydride, 2-chloromethylfuran, and potassium tert-hutoxide. 

A pail of powdered limestone and a long-handled shovel are recommended by Ventron for smothering a lithium aluminum hydride fire. The only commercial extinguishers recommended are those of the nitrogen-propelled dry powder type, such as Ansul. In no case use water, carbon dioxide, or a chemical extinguisher. 

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