Partial List of Incompatible Chemicals (Reactive Hazards)
(Taken from Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Disposal of Chemicals)
Chemical |
Incompatible with |
| Acetic acid | Chromic acid, nitric acid, hydroxyl compounds, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates |
| Acetone | Concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid mixtures |
| Alkali and alkaline earth metals (such as powdered aluminum or magnesium, calcium, lithium, sodium, potassium) | Water, carbon tetrachloride or other chlorinated hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, halogens |
| Ammonia (anhydrous) | Mercury (e.g., in manometers), chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine, hydrofluoric acid (anhydrous) |
| Ammonium nitrate | Acids, powdered metals, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrites, sulfur, finely divided organic combustible materials |
| Aniline | Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide |
| Arsenical materials | Any reducing agent |
| Azides | Acids |
| Bromine | See chlorine |
| Calcium oxide | Water |
| Carbon (activated) | Calcium hypochlorite, all oxidizing agents |
| Chlorates | Ammonium salts, acids, powdered metals, sulfur, finely divided organic or combustible materials |
| Chromic acid and chromium trioxide | Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, glycerol, alcohol, flammable liquids in general |
| Chlorine | Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane, propane (or other petroleum gases), hydrogen, sodium carbide, benzene, finely divided metals, turpentine |
| Chlorine dioxide | Ammonia, methane, phosphine, hydrogen sulfide |
| Copper | Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide |
| Cumene hydroperoxide | Acids (organic or inorganic) |
| Cyanides | Acids |
| Flammable liquids | Ammonium nitrate, chromic acid, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium peroxide, halogens |
| Fluroine | All other chemicals |
| Hydrocarbons (such as butane, propane, benzene) | Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, sodium peroxide |
| Hydrocyanic acid | Nitric acid, alkalis |
| Hydrofluoric acid | Ammonia (aqueous or anhydrous) |
| Hydrofluoric acid | Acids, activated carbon |
| Hypochlorites | Acids, activated carbon |
| Iodine | Acetylene, ammonia (aqueous or anhydrous), hydrogen |
| Mercury | Acetylene, fulminic acid, ammonia |
| Nitrates | Acids |
| Nitric acid (concentrated) | Acetic acid, aniline, chromic acid, hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen sulfide, flammable liquids and gases, copper, brass, any heavy metals |
| Nitrites | Acids |
| Nitroparaffins | Inorganic bases, amines |
| Oxalic Acid | Silver, mercury |
| Oxygen | Oils, grease, hydrogen; flammable liquids, solids, and gases |
| Perchloric acid | Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohols, paper, wood, grease, oils |
| Peroxides, organic | Acids (organic or mineral), avoid friction, store cold |
| Phosphorus (white) | Air, oxygen, alkalis, reducing agents |
| Potassium | Carbon tetrachloride, carbon dioxide, water |
| Potassium chlorate | Sulfuric and other acids |
| Potassium perchlorate | Sulfuric and other acids |
| Selenides | Reducing agents |
| Silver | Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, ammonium compounds, fulminic acid |
| Sodium | Carbon tetrachloride, carbon dioxide, water |
| Sodium nitrite | Ammonium nitrate and other ammonium salts |
| Sodium peroxide | Ethyl and methyl alcohol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerin, ethylene glycol, ethylacetate, methyl acetate, furfural |
| Sulfides | Acids |
| Sulfuric acid | Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate (similar compounds of light metals, such as sodium, lithium) |
| Tellurides | Reducing agents |