Safety evaluation of an unexpected incident with a nitro compound

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/op700128r

An unexpected highly exothermic reaction followed by explosion has been studied by means of reaction calorimetry and adiabatic calorimetry. The investigation of the process shows that the incident took place by a local adiabatic temperature rise in the reactor vessel due to the presence of potassium carbonate, which activated the decomposition of a nitro compound with an unusual low temperature onset The study is completed with an unproved and safer procedure consisting of changing the order of chemicals addition as an alternative approach.