Metacelsus
International Hazard
Posts: 2539
Registered: 26-12-2012
Location: Boston, MA
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TMS-azide explosion at University of Minnesota
Some trimethylsilyl azide exploded yesterday at the building where I intern. A grad student was trying to vacuum distill it, and was injured by glass
shards. I was in the basement when it happened; the explosion was on the fourth floor, where I usually work. I could still hear it from the basement,
and I most definitely heard the subsequent alarm.
Warning to all: Messing with azides can end badly (and TMS-azide is safer than hydrazoic acid).
[Edited on 18-6-2014 by Cheddite Cheese]
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Brain&Force
Hazard to Lanthanides
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It looks like hydrazoic acid was the culprit:
http://chemjobber.blogspot.com/2014/06/twitter-tms-azide-exp...
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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Metacelsus
International Hazard
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Registered: 26-12-2012
Location: Boston, MA
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Mood: Double, double, toil and trouble
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Even if hydrazoic acid impurities initiated the explosion, TMS-azide is not off the hook.
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TheChemiKid
Hazard to Others
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Mood: No Mood
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To sum up: Azides are scary!
When the police come
\( * O * )/ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿'̿'̵͇̿̿з=༼ ▀̿̿Ĺ̯̿̿▀̿ ̿ ༽
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zed
International Hazard
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Jeeze. Stuff like that should be done at a special facility. No walls. Explosion barrier.
Must have know its potential to blow. So why?
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mnick12
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It looks like it was about 200g of the stuff that exploded, I think the bigger issue is someone working with 200g of an azide! That is just dumb!
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The Volatile Chemist
International Hazard
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Right, my question is why?! Over an oz. would be nasty.
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