Explosive and Reactive Chemicals

Explosive and Reactive Chemicals

Examples of chemicals that may explode when subjected to heat, shock or friction:

  • Picrates, especially salts of transition and heavy metals such as nickel, lead, mercury, copper, and zinc
  • Picric acid, when dry
  • Azides, including metal, nonmetal, and organic azides
  • Chlorite salts of metals, such as silver chlorite, mercuric chlorite
  • Diazo compounds
  • Diazonium salts, when dry
  • Polynitro compounds such as tetranitromethane
  • Dinitroacetonitrile, and trinitrobenzene

Examples of chemicals that form explosive peroxides over time after exposure to air:

  • Diisopropyl ether (isopropyl ether), Diethyl ether (ether)
  • Divinyl ether, Divinyl acetylene, Vinylidene chloride,
  • Sodium amide, Potassium amide,andPotassium metal