Tuesday, May 14, 2019

What is the most dangerous chemical reaction?


Any reaction that leads to the creation of azidoazide azide, C2N14C2N14 (and no, that's not a typo):
This abomination of nitrogen chemistry is the ultimate expression of the particular brand of lunacy that goes hand in hand with working with nitrotetrazole compounds and N-amino azidotetrazole. Yes, I typed that without finding myself in a corner, shivering in terror.
These high-nitrogen compounds are a speciality of the Klapoetke lab at Munich University, where the creation of these disasters looking for a place to happen is a depressingly regular occurrence. Since there has not been a report in the news of the University of Munich's chemistry department removing itself from the face of the planet in a rapidly expanding cloud of hot elemental nitrogen gas, it can be inferred that the research team there are:
a) Very good at what they do;
b) Inordinately lucky;
c) Both the above.




Martin Harding


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