Phosgene

{| width="300" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="right"\n|+ Properties\n|-\n| colspan="2" align="center" | \n|-\n! colspan="2" align=center" bgcolor="#FFDEAD" | General\n|-\n| Name\n| Phosgene\n|-\n| Chemical formula\n| COCl₂\n|-\n| Appearance\n| Colourless gas\n|-\n! colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#FFDEAD" | Physical\n|-\n| Formula weight\n| 98.9 amu\n|-\n| Melting point\n| 155 K (-118 °C)\n|-\n| Boiling point\n| 281 K (8 °C)\n|-\n| Density\n| 1.43 ×10³ kg/m³ (liquid)\n|-\n| Solubility\n| slowly decomposes in water\n|-\n! colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#FFDEAD" | Thermochemistry\n|-\n| Δ_fH⁰_gas\n| -219.1 kJ/mol\n|-\n| Δ_fH⁰_liquid\n| ? kJ/mol\n|-\n| Δ_fH⁰_solid\n| ? kJ/mol\n|-\n| S⁰_{gas, 1 bar}\n| 283.5 J/mol·K\n|-\n| S⁰_{liquid, 1 bar}\n| ? J/mol·K\n|-\n| S⁰_solid\n| ? J/mol·K\n|-\n! colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#FFDEAD" | Safety\n|-\n| Ingestion\n| Nausea and vomiting may result.\n|-\n| Inhalation\n| Highly toxic, causes coughing, burning sensation in chest, severe exposure can result in bloody sputum, fatal destruction of lung tissue.\n|-\n| Skin\n| Irritant, may cause severe burns, especially on moist skin.\n|-\n| Eyes\n| May result in severe burns.\n|-\n| More info\n| Hazardous Chemical Database\n|-\n! colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#FFDEAD" | SI units were used where possible. Unless otherwise stated, standard conditions were used.

Disclaimer and references \n|} Phosgene (also known as carbonyl chloride, COCl₂) is a highly toxic gas or refrigerated liquid that was used as a chemical weapon in World War I. It has no color, but is detectable in air by its odor, which resembles moldy hay. \nIt is a manufactured chemical, but small amounts occur naturally from the breakdown of chlorinated compounds. \nPhosgene can also result from the combustion of chlorine-containing organic compounds. Phosgene is a particularly insidious poison, as phosgene exposure often has no initial symptoms. \nSymptoms usually appear within 24 hours, but can take up to 72 hours to manifest. \nThe gas combines with water in the tissues of the respiratory tract to form carbon dioxide and hydrochloric acid. \nThe acid then dissolves the membranes in the lungs. \nFluid fills the lungs, and death results from a combination of blood loss, shock, and respiratory failure. \nUnlike nerve agents, phosgene must be inhaled to cause harm and cannot be absorbed through the skin.

Production and use

\nIndustrially, phosgene is produced by passing purified carbon monoxide and chlorine gas through a bed of highly porous carbon, which acts as a catalyst. \nThe chemical equation for their reaction is

CO + Cl₂ → COCl₂

The reaction is exothermic, so the reactor must be continually cooled to carry away the heat it produces. \nTypically, the reaction is carried out between 50°C and 150°C. \nAbove 200°C, phosgene decomposes back into carbon monoxide and chlorine. Because of the safety issues with storing and transporting it, phosgene is almost always produced and consumed within the same chemical plant. \nPhosgene is used chiefly in the production of polymers including polyurethanes, polycarbonates, and polyureas. \nIt is also used to produce isocyanates and acid chlorides as intermediates in the dye, pesticide, and pharmaceutical industries. \nIt is possible to use phosgene to isolate certain metals including aluminum and uranium from their ores, but these methods are not widely used.

History

\nPhosgene was synthesized by the chemist John Davy (1790-1868) in 1812. It was first used as a weapon at in 1915 when the Germans added small quantities of it to chlorine to increase the latter's "efficiency". Soon after, use of pure phosgene was begun. Phosgene was responsible for most of the about 100,000 gas-caused deaths during World War I. Category:Chemical weapons\n\n\n