Oxidizing agents, such as TETRAETHYLAMMONIUM PERCHLORATE, 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). The chemical reduction of materials in this group can be rapid or even explosive, but often requires initiation (heat, spark, catalyst, addition of a solvent). Explosive mixtures of inorganic oxidizing agents with reducing agents often persist unchanged for long periods if initiation is prevented. Such systems are typically mixtures of solids, but may involve any combination of physical states. Some inorganic oxidizing agents are salts of metals that are soluble in water; dissolution dilutes but does not nullify the oxidizing power of such materials. Organic compounds, in general, have some reducing power and can in principle react with compounds in this class. Actual reactivity varies greatly with the identity of the organic compound. Inorganic oxidizing agents can react violently with active metals, cyanides, esters, and thiocyanates. Benzene, calcium hydride, charcoal, ethanol, finely divided metals, olefins, strontium hydride, sulfur react violently with perchlorates.
Crystallise the perchlorate repeatedly from water, aqueous MeOH, acetonitrile or acetone, and dry it at 70o under a vacuum for 24hours. [Cox et al. J Am Chem Soc 106 5965 1984, Liu et al. J Am Chem Soc 108 1740 1986, White & Murray J Am Chem Soc 109 2576 1987.] It has also been crystallised twice from ethyl acetate/95% EtOH (2:1) [Lexa et al. J Am Chem Soc 109 6464 1987]. [Beilstein 4 IV 332.]
