Sodium azide is a rapidly acting, potentially deadly chemical that exists as an odorless white solid. Sodium azide is the inorganic compound with the formula NaN₃. This colorless salt is the gas-forming component in legacy car airbag systems. It is used for the preparation of other azide compounds. It is an ionic substance, is highly soluble in water and is very acutely poisonous.
Sodium azide is used as a chemical preservative in hospitals and laboratories. ... In one case, sodium azide was poured into a drain, where it exploded and the toxic gas was inhaled (breathed in). Sodium azide is used in agriculture (farming) for pest control. Sodium azide is also used in detonators and other explosives.
Nonlethal doses ranged from 0.3 to 150 mg (0.004 to 2 mg/kg). Onset of hypotension within minutes or in less than an hour is indicative of a pharmacological response and a benign course. Hypotension with late onset (>1 hour) constitutes an ominous sign for death.
The selective conversion of aromatic nitriles to primary amides has been accomplished using sodium azide. The corresponding amides were obtained efficiently in excellent yields. This reaction was carried out under eco-friendly conditions using water in the absence of organic solvents.
