INCOMPATIBLE CHEMICALS
The chemicals listed below may react violently with one another. They must be kept
apart and must never come into contact with one another. The objective of this list is
to give information on how to avoid accidents in the laboratory.
Due to the great number of hazardous materials, this list includes only the most
important examples.
Substance Incompatible with
Acetylene Chlorine, bromine, fluorine, copper, silver, mercury
Chromium (VI) oxide, nitric acid, alcohols, ethylene glycol,
Acetic acid
perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates
Activated carbon Calcium hypochlorite, oxidizing agents
Water, carbon tetrachloride and other halogenated
Alkali metals
alkanes, carbon dioxide, halogens
Aluminium alkyls Water
Ammonia laboratory Mercury (e.g. in pressure gauges), chlorine, calcium
gas or solutions) hypochlorite, iodine, bromine, hydrogen fluoride
Acids, powdered metals, flammable liquids, chlorates,
Ammonium nitrate nitrates, sulfur, fine-particulate organic or combustible
materials
Aniline Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide
Bromine See chlorine
Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane,
Chlorine propane, hydrogen, petroleum benzine, benzene,
powdered metals
Ammonium salts, acids, powdered metals, sulfur, fine-
Chlorates
particulate organic or combustible substances
Chromium (VI) Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, glycerol, petroleum
oxide benzine, alcohols, flammable liquids
Copper Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide
Cumene
Acids, both organic and inorganic
hydroperoxide
Cyanides Acids
Ammonium nitrate, chromium (VI) oxide, hydrogen
Flammable liquids
peroxide, nitric acid, sodium peroxide, halogens
Fluorine Extremely aggressive; store separately!
Hydrocarbon
Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromium (VI) oxide, sodium
(butane, propane,
peroxide
benzene, etc.)
Hydrogen fluoride Ammonia (laboratory gas or solutions)
Copper, chromium, iron, metals and metal salts, alcohols,
Hydrogen peroxide acetone, organic substances, aniline, nitromethane,
combustible substances (solid or liquid)
Hydrogen sulfide Fuming nitric acid, oxidizing gases
Iodine Acetylene, ammonia (laboratory gas or solutions)
Mercury Acetylene, ammonia
Nitric acid Acetic acid, aniline, chromium (VI) oxide, prussic acid,
(concentrated) hydrogen sulfide, flammable liquids and gases
Oxalic acid Silver, mercury
Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohols, paper,
Perchloric acid
wood
Phosphorus Sulfur, compounds containing oxygen, e.g. chlorates
Potassium See alkali metals
Potassium chlorate See chlorate
Potassium
See chlorate
perchlorate
Potassium
Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulfuric acid
permanganate
Silver Acetylene, oxalic acid tartaric acid, ammonium compounds
Sodium See alkali metals
Methanol, ethanol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride,
Sodium peroxide benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerol, ethylene glycol,
ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfural
Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium
Sulfuric acid
permanganate