Chemical Properties
colourless liquid
Chemical Properties
Vinyl bromide is a colorless gas or liquid at
low ambient temperature. Pleasant odor. Shipped as a liquefied
compressed gas with 0.1% phenol added to prevent
polymerization.
Uses
Production of flame-resistant plastics
or thermoplastic resins.
Uses
Vinyl bromide is used as a fire retardant inplastics.
Production Methods
VB can be produced by the catalytic addition of hydrogen
bromide to acetylene in the presence of mercury and
copper halide catalysts or by partial dehydrobromination
of ethylene dibromide with alcoholic potassium
hydroxide.
Definition
ChEBI: Bromoethene is a monohaloethene and a bromoalkene.
General Description
Boiling point 60°F. Liquid at low ambient temperatures. Specific gravity 1.51. A suspected carcinogen. Under exposure to fire or heat containers may rupture violently and rocket.
Air & Water Reactions
Highly flammable, with air forms peroxides
Reactivity Profile
VINYL BROMIDE is a light sensitive, peroxidizable monomer may initiate exothermic polymerization of the bulk material [Handling Chemicals Safely 1980.. p. 958]. Vinyl bromide will react violently with oxidants.
Health Hazard
Vapors may cause dizziness or asphyxiation without warning. Some may be toxic if inhaled at high concentrations. Contact with gas or liquefied gas may cause burns, severe injury and/or frostbite. Fire may produce irritating and/or toxic gases.
Health Hazard
Inhalation of this gas at high concentrationscan produce anesthesia and kidney damage.Exposure to 2.5% concentration in air pro duced anesthetic effects in rats. A 15-minuteexposure to 10% concentration was fatal torats (ACGIH 1986). Kidney injury occurredat a 5% exposure level. Human toxicity datafor this compound are not available. The liq uid is mild to moderately irritating to theeyes.
Vinyl bromide manifested carcinogenicproperties in laboratory animals. It producedliver and blood tumors in rats and mice.Its cancer-causing effects in humans arenot known. However, on the basis of itssimilarity to vinyl chloride, it is suspectedto be a human carcinogen.
Fire Hazard
EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. Will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. Will form explosive mixtures with air. Silane will ignite spontaneously in air. May polymerize explosively when heated or involved in a fire. Vapors from liquefied gas are initially heavier than air and spread along ground. Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back. Cylinders exposed to fire may vent and release flammable gas through pressure relief devices. Containers may explode when heated. Ruptured cylinders may rocket.
Safety Profile
Confirmed carcinogen
with experimental carcinogenic,
neoplastigenic, and tumorigenic data.
Moderately toxic by ingestion. Mutation data
reported. A very dangerous fire hazard when
exposed to heat or flame. Can react violently
with oxidzing materials. May polymerize in
sunlight. To fight fire, use CO2, dry
chemical, or water spray. When heated to
decomposition it emits toxic fumes of Br-.
See also BROMIDES and VINYL
CHLORIDE.
Potential Exposure
Vinyl bromide is used as an intermediate
in organic synthesis and for the preparation of plastics
by polymerization and copolymerization; as a comonomer
with acrylonitrile and other vinyl monomers in modacrylic
fibers; in the production of flame-retardant synthetic fibers.
Carcinogenicity
Vinyl bromide is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogenbased on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals.
Shipping
UN1085 Vinyl bromide, stabilized, Hazard
Class: 2.1; Labels: 2.1-Flammable gas. Cylinders must be
transported in a secure upright position, in a well-ventilated
truck. Protect cylinder and labels from physical damage.
The owner of the compressed gas cylinder is the only entity
allowed by federal law (49CFR) to transport and refill
them. It is a violation of transportation regulations to refill
compressed gas cylinders without the express written permission
of the owner.
Incompatibilities
Vinyl bromide is a dangerous chemically
unstable compound that may polymerize spontaneously in
heat, sunlight and possibly exposure to UV. Dangerously
reactive with oxidizers (chlorates, nitrates, peroxides, permanganates,
perchlorates, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.);
contact may cause fires or explosions. Keep away from
alkaline materials, acetylene, strong acids, strong bases,
copper compounds. Add 0.1% phenol to gas to prevent
polymerization.
Toxics Screening Level
The Initial Threshold Screening Level (ITSL) for vinyl bromide is 30 μg/m3 with an annual averaging time.
Waste Disposal
Return refillable compressed
gas cylinders to supplier. Nonrefillable cylinders should be
disposed of in accordance with local, state and federal regulations.
Allow remaining gas to vent slowly into atmosphere
in an unconfined area or exhaust hood. Refillabletype
cylinders should be returned to original supplier with
any valve caps and outlet plugs secured and valve protection
caps in place.
