One of the highly toxic component which is used in the synthesis of fumigants whose toxic vapours are used to poison and kill pests..... CHLOROACETONITRILE!!

The chemical name for Chloroacetonitrile is ClCH₂CN, which is also known as "cyanide chloromethane." It is colorless, fuming liquid with pungent choking smell. It is insoluble in water but soluble in ether, alcohol and hydrocarbons. It sinks in water because it is denser than water. It is highly toxic. Reacts with water and steam to produce toxic vapors of hydrogen chloride. When heated to decomposition, Chloroacetonitrile emits highly toxic fumes of hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen chloride.

Manufacturing process:

It can be obtained through the dehydration of chloroacetamide under the action of phosphorus pentoxide. Chloroacetamide [C₂H₄ClNO], trimethylbenzene [C₆H₃(CH₃)₃], and phosphorus pentoxide [P₄O₁₀] are examples of chemical compounds. For one hour, the liquid was slowly refluxed while being stirred ferociously. After that, it was allowed to cool to about 100 C° while being constantly stirred. Atmospheric pressure distillation was used to separate the crude product and some of the solvent. Phosphorus pentoxide (10 g) was added to the crude chloroacetonitrile to create a pure product before being redistilled via a productive packed fractionating column.

Other process is with the reaction between excess amount of acetonitrile [CH₃CN] with chlorine [Cl₂] at 460 ℃ as well as introducing ammonia gas [NH₃] into the ether solution of dichloro acetylene [C₂Cl₂].

 

Uses:

• Chloroacetonitrile can be used as a fumigant. Pesticides known as "fumigants" can be used to poison and kill pests using their volatile vapour. Its gaseous molecules have the ability to infiltrate the bodies of dangerous creatures and cause toxic consequences. It may also be found in forms other than gas, such as liquid, solid, or compressed gaseous form. The use dose can be determined using the area to be fumigated's volume (measured in g/m 3). The applied concentration can depend on the fumigation period, the proximity of the fumigation site, the volume of material, and its ability to absorb fumigant vapour. It can be utilised in places like a warehouse, tent, house, car, etc. that are closed off or almost closed off. It can successfully get rid of any concealed bugs or pathogens when there is a high concentration of the target object to be fumigated.
• It may be employed as an analytical reagent and as a raw material for organic synthesis.
• It is also applicable as a pharmaceutical intermediary.
• The electrochemical production of cyanoacetic acid with carbon dioxide uses chloroacetonitrile.
• It participates in the Darzen's condensation process with cyclohexanone that is phase-transfer catalysed.
• It is also employed in thermo-spray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry as an eluent additive.
• it reacts with other reactants including malononitrile, aromatic aldehyde, and pyridine to create poly-substituted pyrido[1,2-a] benzimidazole.
• It is also used in Laboratory.