Trinitromethane

Poison by ingestion and intraperitoneal routes. Moderately toxic by inhalation. Irritating to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Inhalation can cause headache and nausea. Causes mild narcosis. A very dangerous explosion hazard; explodes when heated rapidly. Dissolution is exothermic and solutions of more than 50% can explode. Mixtures of 90% trinitromethane + 10% isopropyl alcohol in polyethylene bottles have exploded. Frozen mixtures with 2-propanol (10%) explode when thawed. Can explode during distillation. Mixtures with divinyl ketone can explode at 4°C. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of NOx. See also NITRO COMPOUNDS.