General Description
A colorless crystalline solid with a pungent odor. Melting point 146°C. Density 1.32 g/cm3. Very slightly soluble in water. Toxic by ingestion and inhalation of vapors. Irritates skin and eyes. Used to make dyes.
Reactivity Profile
CYANURIC CHLORIDE(108-77-0) reacts rapidly and exothermically with water to generate hydrogen chloride. A mixture with water in an industrial reactor with refrigeration turned off developed pressure that blew gaskets and filled the building with flammable vapors. An explosion occurred when the vapors were ignited [MCA Case History 1869(1972)]. Runaway reactions have occurred with acetone/water; methanol/water, ethoxyethanol/water, allyl alcohol/sodium hydroxide/water, 2-butanone/sodium hydroxide/water, and methanol/sodium bicarbonate [Loss Prev. Bull., 1979, (25), 21]. Reacts with methanol to give gaseous methyl chloride. Reacts rapidly with bicarbonates to generate gaseous carbon dioxide. Reacts vigorously with dimethyl formamide (DMF) to form carbon dioxide after a deceptive induction period [BCISC Quart. Safety Summ., 1960, 35, 24]. Can react with reducing agents to generate heat and products that may be gaseous (causing pressurization of closed containers). The products may themselves be capable of further reactions (such as combustion in the air).
Air & Water Reactions
Reacts exothermically with water, especially if catalyzed or heated, to generate fumes of hydrochloric acid. Very slightly soluble in water.
Health Hazard
TOXIC; inhalation, ingestion or contact (skin, eyes) with vapors, dusts or substance may cause severe injury, burns or death. Reaction with water or moist air will release toxic, corrosive or flammable gases. Reaction with water may generate much heat that will increase the concentration of fumes in the air. Fire will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may be corrosive and/or toxic and cause pollution.
Fire Hazard
Non-combustible, substance itself does not burn but may decompose upon heating to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes. Vapors may accumulate in confined areas (basement, tanks, hopper/tank cars etc.). Substance will react with water (some violently), releasing corrosive and/or toxic gases and runoff. Contact with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Containers may explode when heated or if contaminated with water.
Definition
ChEBI: A chloro-1,3,5-triazine in which the triazine ring is substituted on each carbon by chlorine. Its main use is in the preparation of the triazine-class pesticides.
Production Methods
Cyanuric chloride is obtained by the trimerization of cyanogen
chloride in organic solvents, in the presence of acidic
catalysts, and carried out in a gaseous phase at 200–500C.
Cyanuric chloride is used as a chemical intermediate. It is the
precursor to the herbicide atrazine.
Flammability and Explosibility
Nonflammable
Purification Methods
TCT crystallises from CCl4 or pet ether (b 90-100o) and is dried under vacuum. It has also been recrystallised twice from anhydrous *benzene immediately before use [Abuchowski et al. J Biol Chem 252 3582 1977]. [Beilstein 26 III/IV 66.]
