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Other Properties
Reacts with sulfhydryl and imidazole groups; products of hydrolysis are thiodiglycol and hydrochloric acid
IARC. Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Humans. Geneva: World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 1972-PRESENT. (Multivolume work). Available at: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php. V9: 182 (1975).
Mustard gas in an aqueous medium rearranges into a cyclic sulfonium form which is highly reactive
Grant, W.M. Toxicology of the Eye. 3rd ed. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1986. 643.
First order rate constant for reaction with water at 37 deg C = 33/hr
Searle, C. E. (ed.). Chemical Carcinogens. ACS Monograph 173. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1976. 88.
Half-life of hydrolysis (hr) = 0.02
Searle, C. E. (ed.). Chemical Carcinogens. ACS Monograph 173. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1976. 89.
Substrate constant S = 0.95; value of S = 1.00 for methyl bromide is the reference standard /Mustard gas cation/
Searle, C. E. (ed.). Chemical Carcinogens. ACS Monograph 173. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1976. 89.
Hydrolyzed by alkalies; volatile with steam
O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck and Co., Inc., 2006. 1092.
Volatile enough to be effective as a vapor in warm weather
Evans TJ; Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. (1999-2013). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; Chemical Warfare. Online Posting Date: Mar 14, 2003.
Air/water partition coefficient: -2.87 (log)
Hansch, C. and A. Leo. The Log P Database. Claremont, CA: Pomona College, 1987. 65.
Bleaching powder and sodium hypochlorite are recommended as neutralizing agents and inactivators.
O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck and Co., Inc., 2006. 1092.
Freezes at about 10 deg C
Evans TJ; Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. (1999-2013). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; Chemical Warfare. Online Posting Date: Mar 14, 2003.
Volatility: 925 mg/cu m at 25 deg C
Evans TJ; Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. (1999-2013). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; Chemical Warfare. Online Posting Date: Mar 14, 2003.
Henry's Law constant= 2.45X10-5 atm-cu m/mole at 25 deg C
