DIBROMOACETONITRILE

Chemical properties

Clear colorless to yellow liquid

The Uses of DIBROMOACETONITRILE

Dibromoacetonitrile is a carcinogenic nitrogenous disinfection byproduct. Dibromoacetonitrile in drinking water was linked to oral cavity cancer in rats and forestomach cancer in mice. In addition, Dibromoacetonitrile may cause oxidative damage in rat brain.

Definition

ChEBI: Dibromoacetonitrile is an aliphatic nitrile.

General Description

Clear amber oily liquid.

Air & Water Reactions

DIBROMOACETONITRILE may be sensitive to prolonged exposure to air and light. Slightly soluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

DIBROMOACETONITRILE is incompatible with strong acids, strong bases, strong oxidizing agents and strong reducing agents. . Nitriles may polymerize in the presence of metals and some metal compounds. They are incompatible with acids; mixing nitriles with strong oxidizing acids can lead to extremely violent reactions. Nitriles are generally incompatible with other oxidizing agents such as peroxides and epoxides. The combination of bases and nitriles can produce hydrogen cyanide. Nitriles are hydrolyzed in both aqueous acid and base to give carboxylic acids (or salts of carboxylic acids). These reactions generate heat. Peroxides convert nitriles to amides. Nitriles can react vigorously with reducing agents. Acetonitrile and propionitrile are soluble in water, but nitriles higher than propionitrile have low aqueous solubility. They are also insoluble in aqueous acids.

Fire Hazard

Literature sources indicate that DIBROMOACETONITRILE is nonflammable.

Safety Profile

Poison by intravenous route. Questionable carcinogen with experimental carcinogenic data. Experimental reproductive effects. Human mutation data reported. See also NITRILES and BROMIDES. When heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of NO,, Br-, and CN-