Nomenclature
CAS number: 26628-22-8
Sodium azide (Na(N
3)); hydrazoic acid sodium salt; Smite (PPG).
N
3Na; mol wt 65.01.
N 64.64%, Na 35.36%.
NaN
3.
Description and references
Cytochrome oxidase inhibitor. Prepd from
NaNH2 + N2O: Dennis, Browne, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 40, 95 (1904);
Schenk in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic
Chemistry Vol. 1, G. Brauer, Ed. (Academic
Press, New York, 2nd ed., 1963) pp 474-475. Alternate procedures:
Inorg. Synth. 1, 79
(1939); 2, 139 (1946). Large scale manuf processes: B.
T. Fedoroff et al., Encyclopedia
of Explosives and Related Items Vol. 1 (Picatinny
Arsenal, Dover, N.J., 1960) pp A601-A619. Review: L.
E. Audrieth, Chem. Rev. 15, 169 (1934). Review of toxicology: K. A. Frederick, J. G. Babish, Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2,
308-322 (1982); of human health effects: S. Chang, S.H. Lamm, Int. J. Toxicol. 22, 175-186 (2003).
Properties
Colorless hexagonal crystals, d 1.846. On heating dec into sodium
and nitrogen. Highly sol in water. Rapidly converted to
hydrazoic acid,
q.v. Soly in
water: 40.16% at 10°, 41.7% at 17°. pK = 4.8, aq solns contains HN
3 which escapes
readily at 37°. Slightly sol in alcohol. Insol in ether. Sol
in liquid ammonia.
Poisonous. Heat and shock
sensitive. Reacts with acids and heavy metals to form explosive compounds. LD
50 in rats (mg/kg): 45 orally (Frederick, Babish).
Caution
Potential symptoms of overexposure
are irritation of eyes, skin; nausea, vomiting, restlessness, diarrhea;
headache, dizziness, weakness, blurred vision; dyspnea; hypotension,
tachycardia, bradycardia, tachypnea; hypothermia; acidosis; convulsions;
kidney changes. See NIOSH Pocket
Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p
280; Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, R. E. Gosselin et al., Eds. (Williams & Wilkins,
Baltimore, 5th ed., 1984), Section II, p 114; Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories (National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1981) pp 145-147.Use
In organic syntheses; in the preparation of hydrazoic
acid, lead azide, pure sodium. In the differential selection of bacteria;
in automatic blood counters; as preservative for laboratory reagents.
Propellant for inflating automotive safety bags. Agricultural nematocide;
herbicide; in fruit rot control.