Formation of 2-chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS riot control agent) thermal degradation products at elevated temperatures

Authors

• Timothy A. Kluchinsky, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
• Michael Sheely, United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine
• Paul B B. Savage, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
• Philip A. Smith, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

1-28-2002

Citation

Journal of Chromatography A, 952 (2002) 205–213

Abstract

2-Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS riot control agent) has been shown to produce a number of thermal degradation products when dispersed at high temperature.We hypothesized that these CS-derived compounds are formed by energy input from heating during the dispersion process. Here we identified organic CS-derived compounds formed from purified CS subjected to temperatures ranging from 300 to 900 degrees C in an inert atmosphere with analysis of tube furnace effluent by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. We conclude that the production of many CS-derived compounds previously observed during high-temperature dispersion is likely to be heat related.