1,4-Pentadiene can be used to obtain bioinsecticidal composition.
A colorless liquid. Less dense than water and insoluble in water. Hence floats on water.
Highly flammable. Insoluble in water.
1,4-PENTADIENE may react vigorously with strong oxidizing agents. May react exothermically with reducing agents to release gaseous hydrogen. Can undergo exothermic polymerization reactions in the presence of various catalysts (such as acids) or initiators. May undergo autoxidation upon exposure to the air to form explosive peroxides. Violent explosions have occurred at low temperatures in ammonia synthesis gas units. These explosions have been traced to the decomposition of addition products between dienes such as this one and oxides of nitrogen [Bretherick, 1995].
Vapor may cause dizziness or suffocation. Contact may irritate skin and eyes.
Distil it from NaBH4. Purify it by preparative gas chromatography or distillation and stabilize it with 0.1% of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol. [Reimann et al. J Am Chem Soc 108 5527 1986, Beilstein 1 IV 998.]
