Diethyl Ether Peroxide Explosion

Graduate student at uc irvine sustained cuts from exploding glassware while concentrating diethyl ether.

Diethyl ether peroxide explosion. Diethyl ether hydroperoxide is the organic compound with the formula c 2 h 5 och ooh ch 3 it is a colorless distillable liquid. What was the cause of the explosion. Peroxides and ethers. Acetaldehyde diethyl acetal acetal ethylene glycol dimethyl ether glyme.

The cause of the accident is still investigated by relevant authorities in taiwan. In conclusion it may be stated that the spontaneous ignition of diethyl peroxide is wholly thermal in origin. However most likely the explosion was caused by peroxide contaminants in the solvents that had concentrated to the level that being unstable during the extraction process. Purchase diethyl ether in metal cans where available the metal can also inhibit peroxide formation.

An explosion can then occur if the bottle is jarred or when the peroxides are ignited by friction when the bottle is opened. Select materials with peroxide stabilizers or inhibitors which serve as free radical scavengers that terminate the chain reaction leading to peroxide formation with oxygen e g. The following is from crc handbook of laboratory safety 5 th edition. Diethyl ether hydroperoxide can be formed by.

Diethyl ether diethyl peroxide mixtures behave almost exactly as predicted by thermm explosion theory. Both tetrahydrofuran thf and diethyl ether were used in the reaction and both of these solvents form peroxides over time. Some solvents and others become susceptible to explosion when the peroxide content is. Diethyl ether was used in the extraction and it forms peroxides over time.

Diethyl ether when stored will produce volatile peroxides which tend to accumulate in the neck of the bottle. Diethyl ether hydroperoxide and its condensation products are blamed for the explosive organic peroxides that slowly form upon exposure of diethyl ether to ambient air and temperature conditions. There is no evidence for branched radical chains. Ethers represent a class of materials which can become more dangerous with prolonged storage because they tend to form explosive peroxides with age.

20 an explosion may also occur if ether is distilled while peroxides are present. Butylated hydroxy toluene also known as bht. Even with less than 30 ppm of peroxide if a very large volume of ether is distilled to dryness then a noticeable level of peroxide could potentially still build up.