NAME (COMMON) – T-Stoff (German), Cyclite (French)
DATE OF DISCOVERY – 1912-14
MOLECULAR FORMULA – C7H7Br
MOLECULAR WEIGHT – 171.05 g/mol
PHYSICAL STATE @ 20° C. (68° F.) – Liquid
VAPOR DENSITY (AIR = 1.0) – 5.8
FLASH POINT – 70° C. (158° F.)
FREEZING/MELTING POINT – -4° C. (25° F.)
BOILING POINT – 198 to 199° C. (388 to 390° F.)
LIQUID DENSITY – 1.438 g/cc @ 71.6° F. (161° F.)
VAPOR PRESSURE (mm/Hg) – 0.45mm/Hg @ 25° C. (77° F.)
VOLATILITY (mg/m3) – 2,400 mg/m3 @ 20° C. (68° F.)
ODOR – Very sharp, pungent
APPEARANCE – Clear to light brown or yellow liquid depending on light exposure and purity
SOLUBILITY – Slightly soluble in water, reacts on contact slowly generating hydrobromic acis
MEDIAN INCAPACITATING DOSAGE (ID50) – 0.06 mg/l
MEDIAN LETHAL DOSAGE (LD50) – 4.50 mg/l lethal after 10 minutes exposure
PERSISTENCY – Very persistent in normal terrain
INHALATION TOXICITY – Can cause Toxic Pneumonitis
SKIN TOXICITY – Irritation and redness, chemical burns on contact
EYE TOXICITY – Serious eye irritation, direct contact may cause chemical burns
RATE OF ACTION – Rapid
SYMPTOMS (PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION) – Irritation of mucosal membraned of nose, throat, and lungs, cough, burning sensation, shortness of breath, possible lung edema after long or heavy exposure, can cause respiratory paralysis
TREATMENT – Remove from exposure, wash eyes and skin with water, supportive treatment for breathing
DURATION OF EFFECTIVENESS – Several days in normal terrain
PROTECTION – Gas mask, protective clothing, gloves
DECONTAMINATION – Wash exposed areas with water
USE – Artillery and mortar projectiles, grenades
Benzyl Bromide is produced by the direct bromination of Toluene. This was the second Bromine compound used by the Germans in WWI as a replacement Lachrymatory agent after the disappointing results from the employment of Xylyl Bromide. Benzyl Bromide is a more volatile agents than Xylyl Bromide, so did not suffer from the formers lack of effectiveness at relatively low temperatures. However, Benzyl Bromide is a much less effective agent in the field due to it having a much lower irritation to the eyes that Xylyl Bromide. It was employed by the Germans at Verdun, France in March, 1915, and was shown to not have a marked improvement over the earlier agent. Later in the war, the French also employed Benzyl Bromide as a Lachrymatory agent with much the same results as the Germans found. A drawback of Benzyl Bromide is that it corrodes iron and steel so much be held in lead or glass containers within the shell of grenade. Due to the need for Toluene to be employed for the production of explosives, Benzyl Bromide was soon dropped as a war gas on all sides of WWI.
