Metal azides copper azide

Insensitive to impact, it decomposes, sometimes explosively, above its m.p. [1], particularly if heated rapidly [2], Although used in aqueous solutions as a preservative in pharmaceutical preparations, application of freeze-drying techniques to such solutions has led to problems arising from volatilisation of traces of hydrazoic acid from non-neutral solutions, condensation in metal lines, traps or filters, and formation of heavy metal azides in contact with lead, copper or zinc components in the drying plant [3,4],... 

Lead azide is an explosive solid that can be detonated by shock (or by heating to 350 °C), while sodium azide exists as stable white crystals that decompose smoothly on heating (unless allowed to react with extraneous material). Why are heavy metal azides so explosive Why are lead azide detonators not sheathed in copper or brass ... 

Sodium azide may react with lead and copper plumbing to form highly explosive metal azides. If allowed in your region, flush with a large volume of water to prevent azide accumulation. Because of possible pathogenic contamination, use of human blood serum is not recommended. 

Most epoxides react with alkali metal azides or Me3SiN3 only sluggishly, and different catalysts have been recommended, for example quaternary ammonium salts [248, 366], A1C13 [367], and copper(II) salts [368]. Other reagents are given in Schemes 4.84 and 4.85. 

CHAPTER 4 THE PREPARATION OF METAL AZIDES, FULMINATES, AND NITRIDES room temperature for 24 hours. Thereafter, slowly heat the mixture to about 80 Celsius with rapid stirring, and then carefully add 120 grams of 95% ethanol while stirring the reaction mixture. After the addition of the alcohol, remove the heat source, and allow the reaction mixture to cool to room temperature. Afterwards, rapidly filter-off the precipitated copper fulminate, wash with several hundred milliliters of cold water, and then dry in a desiccator filled with anhydrous magnesium sulfate. Should be stored in a desiccator over sodium sulfate in a refrigerator. 

Violent reaction with benzoyl chloride combined with KOH, Bt2, barium carbonate, CS2, Cr(OCl)2, Cu, Pb, HNO3, BaCOs, H2SO4, hot water, (CH3)2S04, dibromomalononitrile, sulfuric acid. Incompatible with acids, ammonium chloride + trichloroacetonitrile, phosgene, cyanuric chloride, 2,5-dinitro-3-methylbenzoic acid + oleum, trifiuroroacryloyl chloride. Reacts with heavy metals (e.g., brass, copper, lead) to form dangerously explosive heavy metal azides, a particular problem in laboratory equipment and drain traps. When heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of NOx and Na20. See also AZIDES. 

Silver azide. Silver azide, AgNa (12), is a potential replacement for lead azide because it can be used in smaller quantities as an initiator. It usually requires less energy for initiation than lead azide. It is less apt to hydrolyze and more sensitive to heat. Silver azide is not compatible with sulfur com-poimds, with tetrazene, and with some metals, such as copper [6]. 

Polymer-supported benzenesulfonyl azides have been developed as a safe diazotransfer reagent. ° These compounds, including CH2N2 and other diazoalkanes, react with metals or metal salts (copper, paUadium, and rhodium are most commonly used) to give the carbene complexes that add CRR to double bonds. Diazoketones and diazoesters with alkenes to give the cyclopropane derivative, usually with a transition-metal catalyst, such as a copper complex. The ruthenium catalyst reaction of diazoesters with an alkyne give a cyclopropene. An X-ray structure of an osmium catalyst intermediate has been determined. Electron-rich alkenes react faster than simple alkenes. ... 

As known copper azides arc sensitive IE and considerable work has been done to protect metals from reaction with lead azide. 

More dramatic in terms of suspected causes of accidents have been chemical species arising from the incompatibilities of lead azide, environmental species, and the metal components in fuze trains. Copper azide is notorious in this respect however, it is but the most spectacular of potentially hazardous substances which have been sought or detected in the presence of azides in storage. 

In Sweden the Forenade Fabriksverken of the Ministry of Industry utilizes more dilute solutions in making dextrinated azide. Although normally precipat-ing the azide at 60°C, this company has tried precipations from 75°C in (unsuccessful) attempts to reduce the HN3 content of the product and thus avoid the formation of copper azide in detonators fabricated from copper-containing metals. Azide contents up to 94% are obtained by their process. 

An approach applicable to any scale of operation is to recognize not only direct hazards due to the explosivity of explosive azides, but also the indirect hazards resulting mainly from hydrolysis. Hydrolysis gives hydrazoic acid, HN3, a toxic substance which is physiologically very active and is also the medium by which very sensitive heavy-metal azides, most notably copper azide, can be formed. 

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