Mechlorethamine

Volatility at 25 deg C: 3.581 mg/l

The undiluted liquid decomposes on standing and forms polymeric quaternary ammonium salts which are insoluble as the free base.

Henry's Law constant = 8.5X10-8 atm-cu m/mol @ 25 deg C /Estimated/

Hydroxyl radical reaction rate constant = 8.4X10-12 cu cm/molecule-sec @ 25 deg C /Estimated/

Chlorinating agents destroy nitrogen mustards. Dry chlorinated lime and chloramines with a high content of active chlorine vigorously chlorinate nitrogen mustards to the carbon chain giving low toxicity products. In the presence of water this interaction proceeds less actively

Nitrogen mustards are rapidly oxidized by peracids in aqueous solution at weakly alkaline pH. In acid solution the oxidation is much slower. The oxidation of the nitrogen atom is more rapid than the hydrolysis of the beta- chloroethyl group.

Nitrogen mustards form salts (for example with hydrochloric, sulfuric, nitric, phosphoric, acetic acids) which are freely soluble in water and their toxic action is equivalent to the initial nitrogen mustard /nitrogen mustards/