Diazomethane

Synonyms & Trade Names

Azimethylene, Azomethylene, Diazirine

Physical Description

Yellow gas with a musty odor. [Note: Shipped as a liquefied compressed gas.]

Incompatibilities & Reactivities

Alkali metals, water, drying agents such as calcium arsenate [Note: May explode violently on heating, exposure to sunlight, or contact with rough edges such as ground glass.]

Symptoms

irritation eyes; cough, short breath; headache, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); flush skin, fever; chest pain, pulmonary edema, pneumonitis; asthma; liquid: frostbite

Respirator Recommendations

NIOSH/OSHA

Up to 2 ppm:
(APF = 10) Any supplied-air respirator*
(APF = 50) Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece

Emergency or planned entry into unknown concentrations or IDLH conditions:
(APF = 10,000) Any self-contained breathing apparatus that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode
(APF = 10,000) Any supplied-air respirator that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained positive-pressure breathing apparatus

Escape:
(APF = 50) Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator (gas mask) with a chin-style, front- or back-mounted organic vapor canister
Any appropriate escape-type, self-contained breathing apparatus

Important additional information about respirator selection