Page 56 - Encyclopedia of Chemical Compounds 3 Vols

H H
H H

C S C
Cl C C Cl
H H
H H

OTHER NAMES:
Mustard gas; see
Overview for more
names
0
FORMULA: 2,2 -Dichlorodiethyl
(CH 2 CH 2 Cl) 2 S
ELEMENTS: Sulfide
Carbon, hydrogen,
chlorine, sulfur
COMPOUND TYPE:
Organic sulfide
OVERVIEW
STATE: KE 0
2,2 -dichlorodiethyl sulfide (two-two-prime-di-KLO-ro-di-
Liquid
ETH-el sul-fyd) is more commonly known as mustard gas. It
Y
is also known as bis-(2-chloroethyl) sulfide; sulfur mustard;
0
159.09 g/mol yprite; and 1,1 -thiobis[2-chloroethane]. The compound occurs
MOLECULAR WEIGHT: F
as a yellowish liquid that, in a pure form, has no odor. Small
A

MELTING POINT: C
13 to 14 C (55 to 57 F) amounts of impurities give it the distinctive odor of mus-
tard, from which it gets its common name. It may also smell
T
like garlic or horseradish because of impurities.

217 C (423 F)
BOILING POINT: S
Mustard gas was discovered by the English physicist
SOLUBILITY:
Frederick Guthrie (1833–1886) in 1860. While working with
Insoluble in water;
the compound, Guthrie spilled mustard gas on his skin and
soluble in alcohol,
found that it produced a painful red blister. That property
ether, acetone,
has led to the primary use of mustard gas, as a chemical
benzene, and other
organic solvents; agent used in warfare. When sprayed on a person, the com-
soluble in fats pound can blister the skin, burn the eyes, and irritate the
lungs. In large doses, it can kill a person. Mustard gas was
first used as a chemical weapon on July 12, 1917 by the
German army in an attack on Canadian soldiers at Ypres,
CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS 5