Lithium fulminate

Explosions which occurred at the auxiliary electrode during electro-oxidation reactions in nitromethane-lithium perchlorate electrolytes, may have been caused by lithium fulminate. This could have been produced by formation of the lithium salt of nitromethane and subsequent dehydration to the fulminate [1], analogous to the known formation of mercury (II) fulminate [2], This explanation is not considered tenable, however [3]. 

Addition of nitromethane to ethereal lithium tetrahydroaluminate solution at ambient temperature gave an explosively violent rection [1], and this was confirmed when addition of 0.5 ml of dry nitromethane to 10 ml of reducant solution led, after 30 s, to a violent explosion which pulverised the flask [2]. The violence of the explosion suggests that lithium ad-nitromethanide (or possibly lithium fulminate) may have been involved. 

Oxidising nitromethane electrochemically by using lithium perchlorate led to a violent detonation, which was explained by the formation of an unstable metal fulminate ... 

Attempts to follow a published procedure for the preparation of 1,3 -dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate salts [1], involving reductive coupling of carbon disulfide with alkali metals, have led to violent explosions with potassium metal, but not with sodium [2], However, mixtures of carbon disulfide with potassium-sodium alloy, potassium, sodium, or lithium are capable of detonation by shock, though not by heating. The explosive power decreases in the order given above, and the first mixture is more shock-sensitive than mercury fulminate [3],... 

This class of compounds showing explosive instability deals with heavy metals bonded to elements other than nitrogen and contains the separately treated groups GOLD COMPOUNDS LEAD SALTS OF NITRO COMPOUNDS LITHIUM PERALKYLURANATES MERCURY COMPOUNDS METAL ACETYLIDES METAL FULMINATES METAL OXALATES PLATINUM COMPOUNDS PRECIOUS METAL DERIVATIVES SILVER COMPOUNDS... 

CBZ s spectrum of efficacy appears similar to that of lithium however, as noted earlier, it may be superior to lithium in mixed or dysphoric mania, rapid cyclers, and more severe episodes (e.g., fulminant, aggressive, psychotic) (202). The number of patients treated with CBZ for acute mania in some form of placebo-control design is very limited. In fact, we are not aware of any double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design studies addressing this question (i.e., class I design). 

A 47-year-old woman with a history of schizophrenia developed fatal fulminant hepatitis after having taken 400 mg of powdered reishi daily for 2 months. She was also taking lithium, perphenazine, and trihexyphenidyl longterm. The woman had previously consumed an extract made from boiled reishi slices (dose not specified) for several years with no adverse effects. The reporting physicians indicated that the reaction could have been idiosyncratic (Wanmuang et al. 2007). 

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