Hydrogen cyanide safe handling

Trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) and trimethylsilyl azide (TMSN3) are safe and convenient replacements for hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen azide, respectively, which are otherwise inconvenient or hazardous to handle. 

Roundup , manufactured by Monsanto (USA), is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. A key intermediate for its manufacture is disodium iminodiacetate (DSIDA), which is traditionally made through Strecker s process. This process requires the use of ammonia, formaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide. Hydrogen cyanide is extremely toxic, and its use requires special handling to minimize risk to workers, the community, and the environment. Ammonia and formaldehyde are also associated with human health problems and environmental hazards. The process produces 1kg waste for every 7 kg product. The waste contains cyanide and formaldehyde, which need to be treated prior to safe disposal. 

In addition, sodium azide and hydrazoic acid must be handled safely. In working with sodium azide, the salt must not come in contact with copper, lead, mercury, silver, gold, their alloys, and their compounds. All of these form sensitive explosive azides. Azide salts must not be thrown into sinks or sewers since all azide salts are highly toxic, react with acids to form explosive, toxic, and gaseous hydrazoic acid, and react with copper and lead pipes. Azides and hydrazoic acid are thought to be more toxic than cyanides and hydrogen cyanide [7a]. 

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