Sulfur mustard
| Sulfur mustard (HD) | |
|---|---|
|
|
| General | |
| Systematic name | Bis (2-chloroethyl) sulfide |
| Other names | Iprit Kampfstoff "Lost" Lost Mustard gas Senfgas Yellow Cross Liquid Yperite |
| Molecular formula | C4H8Cl2S |
| Molar mass | 159 g/mol |
| Appearance | Colorless if pure. Normally ranges from pale yellow to dark brown. Slight garlic type odor. |
| CAS numbers | [505-60-2] [39472-40-7] [68157-62-0] |
| Properties | |
| Density and phase | 1.27 g/ml, liquid |
| Solubility in water | Negligible |
| Melting point | 14.4 °C |
| Boiling point | 217 °C (decomposes) |
| Vapor pressure | 0.11 mmHg @ 25 °C |
| Hazards | |
| MSDS | External MSDS |
| Main hazards | Vesicant |
| NFPA 704 |
1
4
1
|
| 0.003 mg/m3 | |
| Flash point | 105 °C |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds | Nitrogen mustard |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references |
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Sulfur mustard is a chemical compound. It can be used for chemical warfare. Most sulfur mustards are squishy liquids with no color and no smell when they are at room temperature. When used in warfare, they have a color yellowish to brown. Some of them smell like culinary mustard (the type used for food), horseradish or garlic. They got their name from the smell, but are completely unrelated to culinary mustard.
Sulfur mustard (in its form mustard gas) was synthesized by Frederick Guthrie in 1860. It may have been discovered as early as the 1820s, by M.Depretz.
Its use during warfare was prohibited by the Geneva Protocol of 1925. This protocol outlawed the use of poison gas (which was widely used in the First World War). An additional agreement, the Chemical Weapons Convention, was ratified in 1993. It also outlaws the production and stockpiling of such agents.
