Chemical Substance Incompatibilities

* Produced in nitric acid-ethanol mixtures

Acetic Acid

 Chromic acid, nitric acid, hydroxyl compounds,

ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates, ammonium nitrate
Acetic Anhydride Hydroxyl-containing compounds such as ethylene glycol, perchloric acid
Acetone Concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid mixtures
Acetaldehyde Acetic acid, acetic anhydride
Acetylene Chlorine, bromine, copper, fluorine, silver, mercury
Acrolein Ammonia(aqueous), any alkali or amine, strong oxidizing agents
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
Aluminum Metal Ammonium nitrate, antimony trichloride, bromate
Ammonia (Anhydrous) Mercury (in manometers, for example), 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, strong acids, oxidizers
Arsenic Materials Any reducing agent
Azides Acids
Bromine Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane, propane (or other petroleum gases), hydrogen, sodium carbide, benzene, finely divided metals, turpentine
Calcium Oxide Water
Carbon (activated) Calcium hypochlorite, all oxidizing agents
Carbon Tetrachloride Sodium
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 Chlorine Ammonia, methane, phosphine, hydrogen sulfide
Copper Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide
Cumene Hydroperoxide Acids (organic or inorganic)
Cyanides Acids
Flammable Liquids Ammonium nitrate, chromic acid, HCl, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium peroxide, halogens
Fluorine All other chemicals
Hydrazine Hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, any other oxidant
Hydrocarbons (such as gasoline, turpentine, butane, propane, benzene) Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, peroxides, sodium peroxide
Hydrocyanic Acid Nitric acid, alkalis
Hydrofluoric Acid (anhydrous), hydrogen fluoride Ammonia (aqueous or anhydrous)
Hydrogen Peroxide Copper, chromium, iron, most metals or their salts, alcohols, acetone, organic materials, aniline, nitromethane, combustible materials, ferrous sulfide
Hydrogen Sulfide Fuming nitric acid, oxidizing gases
Hypochlorites Acids, activated carbon
Iodine Acetylene, ammonia (aqueous or anhydrous), hydrogen
Mercury Acetylene, fulminic acid*, ammonia
Methanol Lead perchlorate, mercury nitrate
Nitrates Sulfuric acid
Nitric Acid (concentrated) Acids:acetic,chromic, hydrocyanic

Flammable liquids: acetone, alcohol

Flammable gases: H2S

Heavy metals: any, copper, brass
Nitrites Acids
Nitroparaffins Inorganic bases, amines
Oxalic Acid Silver, mercury and their salts
Oxygen Oils, grease, hydrogen, flammable liquids, solids or gases
Perchloric Acid Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohol, paper, wood, grease, oils
Peroxides, Organic Acids (organic or mineral) avoid friction, store cold
Phosphorus (white) Air, oxygen, alkalis, reducing agents
Phosphorus Pentoxide Alcohols, strong bases, water
Potassium Carbon tetrachloride, carbon dioxide, water
Potassium Chlorate Sulfuric and other acids, ammonium salts, metal powders, combustibles
Potassium Nitrite Potassium cyanide (if heated)
Potassium Perchlorate Acids, Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohol, paper, wood, grease, oils
Potassium Permanganate Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulfuric acid
Selenides Reducing agents
Silver, and Silver Salts Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, ammonium compounds, fulminic acid*
Sodium Water, carbon tetrachloride or other chlorinated

hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, halogens, sulfur
Sodium Azide Heavy Metals: Lead, Copper
Sodium Nitrite Ammonium nitrate and other ammonium salts
Sodium Peroxide Ethyl or methyl alcohol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerin, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfural
Sulfides Acids
Sulfur Silver Oxide
Sulfuric Acid Chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates and their compounds with potassium/sodium/lithium
Tellurides Reducing Agents