Fulminating compounds

Fulminating compound. An early term, applied to mixtures of chemicals usually containing silver and used essentially for pyrotechnic purposes. 

Fulminates are salts of fulminic or para-cyanic acid (qv), which is isomeric with iso-cyanic acid. Fulminates should not be con-fu sed with Fulminating Compounds (qv). Struc rural formulas of fulmiriic.acid and of its salts... 

Fulminates are salts of fulminic or para-cyanic acid (qv), which is isomeric with iso-cyanic acid. Fulminates should not be confused with Fulminating Compounds (qv). Structural formulas of fulminic acid and of its salts have not yet been definitely established. The free fulminic acid has not been isolated from its solns, as it undergoes polymerization very rapidly both in aqueous and in ethereal solns. The acid and its metallic salts, M(ON C)n, are very poisonous and explosive. The best known and most used salt is Mercuric Fulminate (qv)... 

Organometallic compounds are those in which there is a metal-carbon bond. According to this definition, in the case of transition metals, this group of compounds includes not only metal carbonyls, olefin complexes, cyclopentadienyl, and other 7r-complexes, but also cyanide and fulminate compounds. Certain difficulties arise in defining the metal of the main group elements. Usually, organometallic compounds are comprised not only of compounds of typical metals, but also of metalloids such as boron, silicon, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, etc. In compounds of metals as well as in those of metalloids, the bond is generally polarized as follows C. Consequently, the... 

Mercury Acetylenic compounds, chlorine, fulminic acid, ammonia, ethylene oxide, metals, methyl azide, oxidants, tetracarbonylnickel... 

Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulphuric acid Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, fulminic acid (produced in ethanol-nitric acid mixtures), ammonium compounds See alkali metals (above)... 

Metal Fulminates or aci - nitro salts Fluorodinitromethyl compounds... 

Finally, the condensation of unsaturated compounds with fulminates known as the fulminic synthesis represents the simplest case of synthesis from nitrile oxides. Barnes has reviewed in detail the work carried out up to 1953 thus we shall be concerned here only wdth more recent publications or those of general interest. 

Boddington and Iqbal [727] have interpreted kinetic data for the slow thermal and photochemical decompositions of Hg, Ag, Na and T1 fulminates with due regard for the physical data available. The reactions are complex some rate studies were complicated by self-heating and the kinetic behaviour of the Na and T1 salts is not described in detail. It was concluded that electron transfer was involved in the decomposition of the ionic solids (i.e. Na+ and Tl+ salts), whereas the rate-controlling process during breakdown of the more covalent compounds (Hg and Ag salts) was probably bond rupture. 

Explosions involving flammable gases, vapours and dusts are discussed in Chapter 5. In addition, certain chemicals may explode as a result of violent self-reaction or decomposition when subjected to mechanical shock, friction, heat, light or catalytic contaminants. Substances containing the atomic groupings listed in Table 6.7 are known from experience to be thermodynamically unstable, or explosive. They include acetylides and acetylenic compounds, particular nitrogen compounds, e.g. azides and fulminates, peroxy compounds and vinyl compounds. These unstable moieties can be classified further as in Table 6.8 for peroxides. Table 6.9 lists a selection of potentially explosive compounds. 

The precautions with any particular explosive depends on the hazard. In the UK explosives are classified as 1 — Gunpowder 2 — Nitrate mixture 3 — Nitro compound 4 - Chlorate mixture 5 - Fulminate 6 - Ammunition and 7 - Fireworks. 

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