HN1 (nitrogen mustard)
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| Identifiers | |
|---|---|
538-07-8  | |
| ChemSpider | 10391 |
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| Jmol-3D images | Image |
| MeSH | bis(2-chloroethyl)ethylamine |
| PubChem | 10848 |
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| Properties | |
| Molecular formula |
C6H13Cl2N |
| Molar mass | 170.08 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | Colourless, liquid |
| Odor | Ichtyal, ammoniacal |
| Density | 1.0861 g mL−1 (at 20 °C) |
| Melting point | −34 °C (−29 °F; 239 K) |
| Boiling point | 85.5 °C (185.9 °F; 358.6 K) |
| Related compounds | |
| Related amines |
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| Related compounds |
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| Except where noted otherwise, data is given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C (77 °F), 100 kPa) | |
| Infobox references | |
Bis(2-chloroethyl)ethylamine is the organic compound with the formula C2H5N(CH2CH2Cl)2. Often abbreviated HN1, it is a powerful vesicant and a nitrogen mustard gas used for chemical warfare. HN1 was developed in the 1920s and 1930s to remove warts and later as a military agent. Because of the latter use, it is a Schedule 1 chemical within the Chemical Weapons Convention and therefore use and production is strongly restricted.
It is an oily liquid with a colorless to pale yellow appearance and a faint fishy or musty odor.[1]
Mode of action
Nitrogen mustards react via an initial cyclization to the corresponding aziridinium salt. The rate of this reaction is pH dependent because the protonated amine cannot cyclize. The aziridinium ion reacts with water in a slower reaction. At pH 8, the nitrogen mustards are essentially quantitatively converted to the aziridinium ion for subsequent slow reaction with water. In contrast, at pH 4 cyclization and hydrolysis show the classic form of reactions in series.
See also
References
- ↑ The Emergency Response Safety and Health Database: NITROGEN MUSTARD HN-1. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Accessed March 19, 2009.