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Chloropicrin
Chloropicrin, also known as PS (from Port Sunlight) and nitrochloroform, is a chemical compound currently used as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, fungicide, herbicide, insecticide, and nematicide. It was used as a poison gas in World War I and the Russian military has been accused of using it in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Its chemical structural formula is Cl3C−NO2.
Chloropicrin was discovered in 1848 by Scottish chemist John Stenhouse. He prepared it by the reaction of sodium hypochlorite with picric acid:
Because of the precursor used, Stenhouse named the compound chloropicrin, although the two compounds are structurally dissimilar.
Today, chloropicrin is manufactured by the reaction of nitromethane with sodium hypochlorite:
Reaction of chloroform and nitric acid also yields chloropicrin:
Chloropicrin's chemical formula is CCl3NO2 and its molecular weight is 164.38 grams/mole. Pure chloropicrin is a colorless liquid, with a boiling point of 112 °C. Chloropicrin is sparingly soluble in water with solubility of 2 g/L at 25 °C. It is volatile, with a vapor pressure of 23.2 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) at 25 °C; the corresponding Henry's law constant is 0.00251 atmosphere-cubic meter per mole. The octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) of chloropicrin is estimated to be 269. Its soil adsorption coefficient (Koc; normalized to soil organic matter content) is 25 cm3/g.
Chloropicrin was manufactured for use as poison gas in World War I. In World War I, German forces used concentrated chloropicrin against Allied forces as a tear gas. While not as lethal as other chemical weapons, it induced vomiting and forced Allied soldiers to remove their masks to vomit, exposing them to more toxic gases used as weapons during the war. It was also used by the Imperial Russian Army in hand grenades as 50% solution in sulfuryl chloride.
In February 2024, Ukrainian General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi accused the Russian Armed Forces of using chloropicrin munitions. In May 2024, the United States Department of State also alleged use of chloropicrin by Russian forces in Ukraine, and imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and entities as a response. Dutch and German intelligence agencies found chloropicrin use to be "commonplace" by July 2025.
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Chloropicrin
Chloropicrin, also known as PS (from Port Sunlight) and nitrochloroform, is a chemical compound currently used as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, fungicide, herbicide, insecticide, and nematicide. It was used as a poison gas in World War I and the Russian military has been accused of using it in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Its chemical structural formula is Cl3C−NO2.
Chloropicrin was discovered in 1848 by Scottish chemist John Stenhouse. He prepared it by the reaction of sodium hypochlorite with picric acid:
Because of the precursor used, Stenhouse named the compound chloropicrin, although the two compounds are structurally dissimilar.
Today, chloropicrin is manufactured by the reaction of nitromethane with sodium hypochlorite:
Reaction of chloroform and nitric acid also yields chloropicrin:
Chloropicrin's chemical formula is CCl3NO2 and its molecular weight is 164.38 grams/mole. Pure chloropicrin is a colorless liquid, with a boiling point of 112 °C. Chloropicrin is sparingly soluble in water with solubility of 2 g/L at 25 °C. It is volatile, with a vapor pressure of 23.2 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) at 25 °C; the corresponding Henry's law constant is 0.00251 atmosphere-cubic meter per mole. The octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) of chloropicrin is estimated to be 269. Its soil adsorption coefficient (Koc; normalized to soil organic matter content) is 25 cm3/g.
Chloropicrin was manufactured for use as poison gas in World War I. In World War I, German forces used concentrated chloropicrin against Allied forces as a tear gas. While not as lethal as other chemical weapons, it induced vomiting and forced Allied soldiers to remove their masks to vomit, exposing them to more toxic gases used as weapons during the war. It was also used by the Imperial Russian Army in hand grenades as 50% solution in sulfuryl chloride.
In February 2024, Ukrainian General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi accused the Russian Armed Forces of using chloropicrin munitions. In May 2024, the United States Department of State also alleged use of chloropicrin by Russian forces in Ukraine, and imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and entities as a response. Dutch and German intelligence agencies found chloropicrin use to be "commonplace" by July 2025.