15 November 2024 Bulletin

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Nitrogen Mustards

Nitrogen mustards are vesicants (blister agents) and alkylating agents. They are colourless to pale yellow, oily liquids that evaporate slowly. They are also known by their military designations of HN-1, HN-2, and HN-3. [2] HN-1 has a faint, fishy or musty odour. It is sparingly soluble in water but miscible with acetone and other organic solvents. At temperatures greater than 194ºC, it decomposes. HN-2 has a fruity odour at high concentrations and a soapy odour at low concentrations. Its solubility is similar to HN-1. HN-3 is odourless when pure but has been reported to have a butter almond odour. It is the most stable of the nitrogen mustards but decomposes at temperatures greater than 256ºC. It has a much lower vapour pressure than HN-1 or HN-2 and is insoluble in water. [1,2]

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