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Temozolomide Is Explosive

blogs.sciencemag.org

21–30 of 128 posts

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#21
post #10

I mean, seriously, just look at the molecule. All those nitrogen atoms lying there restless to each go their own separate way:) I would be surprised if it wasn't.

At a bare minimum it'd probably be a damn good oxidizer at which point you're 80% of the way to a good explosive.

[deleted]

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#22
post #7

"What they found was rapid onset of decomposition at 170 degrees" So this seems to be more about people in a lab situation rather than it being so unstable it reacting sitting in someone's hot car. Suspecting it to react at 212 and finding it reacting at 170 could ruin a lab tech's day to be sure. Those are the jobs that sound fun "for the science" lets see what happens when...

I think you're overlooking the most important scenario: mass production of it in a factory setting.

I think that falls under my qualification of "people in a lab setting"

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#24
I mean in fairness we still use nitroglycerine for some heart ailments, so chemo - a field filled with horrific chemicals - having an explosive shouldn't be too surprising.

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#25
post #14
post #10

I mean, seriously, just look at the molecule. All those nitrogen atoms lying there restless to each go their own separate way:) I would be surprised if it wasn't.

As someone who dropped chemistry in grade 11- what makes Nitrogen so exciting like that? So many common explosive compounds seem to have it.

Nitrogen-Nitrogen bonds inside larger molecules are never quite stable because 1) nitrogen “wants” to form stable di-nitrogen (N2) molecules containing a very stable triple bond (an exothermic reaction) and 2) the result of such decompositions is nitrogen gas increasing the amount of entropy released (due to more molecules being created).

Reactions are driven both by the amount of heat released (enthalpy) and the amount of “disorder” created (entropy). Explosive reactions tend to be the ones where both factors add to the driving force.

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#26
post #7

"What they found was rapid onset of decomposition at 170 degrees" So this seems to be more about people in a lab situation rather than it being so unstable it reacting sitting in someone's hot car. Suspecting it to react at 212 and finding it reacting at 170 could ruin a lab tech's day to be sure. Those are the jobs that sound fun "for the science" lets see what happens when...

Fires can start anywhere, and a small explosion can make the difference between the firefighters arrive on time vs the building burns down and people die.

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#27
post #25
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who dropped chemistry in grade 11- what makes Nitrogen so exciting like that? So many common explosive compounds seem to have it.

Nitrogen-Nitrogen bonds inside larger molecules are never quite stable because 1) nitrogen “wants” to form stable di-nitrogen (N2) molecules containing a very stable triple bond (an exothermic reaction) and 2) the result of such decompositions is nitrogen gas increasing the amount of entropy released (due to more molecules being created). Reactions are driven both by the amount of heat released (enthalpy) and the amo…

Does the same apply to oxygen? Since it also likes to be in a diatomic form.

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#28

Reminds me of how DNP, a chemical used for creating explosives, has been used as a weight-loss drug. It's surprisingly effective, but overdosing on it will result in a long, hot, agonizing death.

DNP was banned after causing a lot of deaths. Still a fascinating drug, I don't remember exactly how it worked but it disrupted respiration so that less ATP was produced from electrons while their energy instead was 'spent' increasing heat

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#29
post #26
post #7

"What they found was rapid onset of decomposition at 170 degrees" So this seems to be more about people in a lab situation rather than it being so unstable it reacting sitting in someone's hot car. Suspecting it to react at 212 and finding it reacting at 170 could ruin a lab tech's day to be sure. Those are the jobs that sound fun "for the science" lets see what happens when...

Fires can start anywhere, and a small explosion can make the difference between the firefighters arrive on time vs the building burns down and people die.

Or the firefighters getting killed in the explosion because something blew up 45 degrees early than expected.

All sorts of things can go wrong when things react at unexpected times. Are we really going to attempt to list all of them? It'll be a long list of replies.

Re: Temozolomide Is Explosive

#30
post #14
post #10

I mean, seriously, just look at the molecule. All those nitrogen atoms lying there restless to each go their own separate way:) I would be surprised if it wasn't.

As someone who dropped chemistry in grade 11- what makes Nitrogen so exciting like that? So many common explosive compounds seem to have it.

They can form molecules where nitrogen is not in its lowest energy bond (which is the triple-bond N2 gas) and where a reaction to this lower energy molecule can be triggered with some small activation energy. The energy released provides the activation energy for nearby material so you get a chemical chain reaction.
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