Soman
142961
169546878
2007-11-06T05:39:00Z
66.103.113.20
Added tp category organophosphinates (more specific than organophosphates)
{{otheruses4|the nerve agent|the band|Soman (band)}}
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" align="right" width="300" style="margin-left: .5em; border-collapse: collapse"
|-
! bgcolor="#FFDEAD" colspan="2" | Soman
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="2" | [[Image:Soman-2D-skeletal.png|140px]] [[Image:Soman-3D-balls.png|140px]]
|-
! bgcolor="#FFDEAD" colspan="2" | Discovery
|-
! align="left" | <small>Discovered by</small>
|<small>[[Richard Kuhn]]</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>Discovered in</small>
| <small>[[1944]]</small>
|-
! bgcolor="#FFDEAD" colspan="2" | Chemical characteristics
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[IUPAC|Chemical name]]</small>
| <small>3-(fluoro-methyl-phosphoryl)oxy-<br />2,2-dimethyl-butane</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>Chemical family</small>
|<small>Fluorinated organophosphorus compound</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[Chemical formula]]</small>
| <small>C<sub>7</sub>H<sub>16</sub>FO<sub>2</sub>P</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[NFPA]] Rating</small>
| {{NFPA 704 | Health=4 | Flammability=1 | Reactivity=1 }}
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[Boiling point]]</small>
| <small>198 °C </small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[Freezing point|Freezing/melting point]]</small>
| <small>−42 °C (−44 °F)</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[Vapor pressure]]</small>
| <small>0.40 mmHg (53 Pa) at 25 °C</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>Vapor [[relative density]] (air=1)</small>
| <small>6.3</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[Solubility]] in water</small>
| <small>Moderate</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[Density]] at 25 °C</small>
| <small>1.022 g/cm³</small>
|-
! align="left" | <small>[[Appearance]] and [[color]]</small>
| <small>When pure, colorless liquid with fruity odor.<br />With impurities, amber or dark brown,<br />with oil of camphor odor</small>
|-
|}
'''Soman''', also known by its [[NATO]] designation '''GD''' (O-Pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic substance whose sole application is as one of the world's most dangerous military weapons. It is a [[nerve agent]], interfering with normal functioning of the mammalian [[nervous system]] by inhibiting the [[cholinesterase enzyme]]. As a [[chemical weapons|chemical weapon]], it is classified as a [[weapon of mass destruction]] by the [[United Nations]] according to [[UN Resolution 687]], and its production is strictly controlled and stockpiling outlawed by the [[Chemical Weapons Convention]] of [[1993]]. Soman was the third of the so-called ''G-series'' nerve agents to be discovered (along with [[tabun (nerve agent)|GA]] (tabun), [[sarin|GB]] (sarin), and [[cyclosarin|GF]] (cyclosarin)).
It is a volatile, corrosive and colourless liquid with a faint odour when pure. More commonly, it is a yellow to brown color and has a stronger odour described as [[camphor]]. The [[LD50|LCt<sub><font size="-1">50</font></sub>]] for Soman is 70 mg·min/m<sup>3</sup> in humans. It is both more lethal and more persistent than [[sarin]] or [[tabun (nerve agent)|tabun]], but less so than [[cyclosarin]].
GD can be [[thickening|thickened]] for use as a chemical spray using an acryloid copolymer. It can also be deployed as a [[binary chemical weapon]]; its precursor chemicals are [[methylphosphonyl difluoride]] and a mixture of [[pinacolyl alcohol]] and an [[amine]].
===Alternative names===
Soman is occasionally referred to by names other than ''soman'' or ''GD'':
* Phosphonofluoridic acid, methyl-, 1, 2, 2-trimethylpropyl ester
* Pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate
* 1,2,2-Trimethylpropyl methylphosphonofluoridate
* Methylpinacolyloxyfluorophosphine oxide
* Pinacolyloxymethylphosphonyl fluoride
* Pinacolyl methanefluorophosphonate
* Methylfluoropinacolylphosphonate
* Fluoromethylpinacolyloxyphosphine Oxide
* Methylpinacolyloxyphosphonyl fluoride
* Pinacolyl methylfluorophosphonate
* 1,2,2-Trimethylpropoxyfluoromethylphosphine oxide
==History==
Soman was discovered by [[Richard Kuhn]] in Germany in 1944, and represented the last wartime nerve agent discovery ([[cyclosarin|GF]] was not found until 1949). Soman was given the identifier GD post-war (GC was already in medical use) when the information relating to soman was recovered by the Soviet Union from its hiding place in a mine.
== References ==
* United States Senate, 103d Congress, 2d Session. (May 25, 1994). [http://www.gulfweb.org/bigdoc/report/appgd.html Material Safety Data Sheet -- Lethal Nerve Agents Somain (GD and Thickened GD)]. Retrieved Nov. 6, 2004.
==External links==
{{Chemical warfare}}
[[Category:Anticholinesterases]]
[[Category:Nerve agents]]
[[Category:Organophosphates]]
[[Category:Organophosphinates]]
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