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| General | |
|---|---|
| Name | Phosgene |
| Chemical formula | C O Cl2 |
| Appearance | Colourless gas |
| Physical | |
| Formula weight | 98.9 amu |
| Melting point | 155 K (-118 °C) |
| Boiling point | 281 K (8 °C) |
| Density | 1.43 ×103 kg/ m3 (liquid) |
| Solubility | slowly decomposes in water |
| Thermochemistry | |
| ΔfH0gasThe standard enthalpy of formation of a compound is the change of enthalpy that accompanies the formation of 1 mole of that substance from its component elements, at their standard states (the most stable form of the element or compound at 25 degrees Cels | -219.1 kJThe joule (symbol J also called newton metre or coulomb volt is the SI unit of energy and work. The unit is pronounced to rhyme with "tool", and is named in honour of the physicist James Prescott Joule (1818-1889). 1 joule 1 N · 1 m 1 newton · 1 metre 1 k/ molThe mole (symbol: mol) is one of the seven SI base units and is commonly used in chemistry. It measures the amount of substance of a system and is defined as the amount of substance that contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in exactly 0 |
| ΔfH0liquidThe standard enthalpy of formation of a compound is the change of enthalpy that accompanies the formation of 1 mole of that substance from its component elements, at their standard states (the most stable form of the element or compound at 25 degrees Cels | ? kJThe joule (symbol J also called newton metre or coulomb volt is the SI unit of energy and work. The unit is pronounced to rhyme with "tool", and is named in honour of the physicist James Prescott Joule (1818-1889). 1 joule 1 N · 1 m 1 newton · 1 metre 1 k/ molThe mole (symbol: mol) is one of the seven SI base units and is commonly used in chemistry. It measures the amount of substance of a system and is defined as the amount of substance that contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in exactly 0 |
| ΔfH0solidThe standard enthalpy of formation of a compound is the change of enthalpy that accompanies the formation of 1 mole of that substance from its component elements, at their standard states (the most stable form of the element or compound at 25 degrees Cels | ? kJ/ mol |
| S0gas, 1 bar | 283.5 J/ mol· K |
| S0liquid, 1 bar | ? J/ mol· K |
| S0solid | ? J/ mol· K |
| Safety | |
| Ingestion | Nausea and vomiting may result. |
| Inhalation | Highly toxic, causes coughing, burning sensation in chest, severe exposure can result in bloody sputum, fatal destruction of lung tissue. |
| Skin | Irritant, may cause severe burns, especially on moist skin. |
| Eyes | May result in severe burns. |
| More info | Hazardous Chemical Database |
| SI units were used where possible. Unless otherwise stated, standard conditions were used. Disclaimer and references | |
Phosgene (also known as carbonyl chloride, C O Cl2) is a highly toxic gas or refrigerated liquid that was used as a chemical weapon in World War I. It has no color, but is detectable in air by its odor, which resembles moldy hay. It is a manufactured chemical, but small amounts occur naturally from the breakdown of chlorinated compounds. Phosgene can also result from the combustion of chlorine-containing organic compounds.
Phosgene is a particularly insidious poison, as phosgene exposure often has no initial symptoms. Symptoms usually appear within 24 hours, but can take up to 72 hours to manifest. The gas combines with water in the tissues of the respiratory tract to form carbon dioxide and hydrochloric acid. The acid then dissolves the membranes in the lungs. Fluid fills the lungs, and death results from a combination of blood loss, shock, and respiratory failure. Unlike nerve agents, phosgene must be inhaled to cause harm and cannot be absorbed through the skin.