Hydrogen and chlorine react explosively in the presence of light. Alkali metals, such as sodium, potassium and lithium, react violently with water liberating hydrogen gas. Examples of shock sensitive materials include acetylides, azides, organic nitrates, nitro compounds, and many peroxides. Organic peroxide s are a special class of compounds that have unusual stability problems, making them among the most hazardous substances normally handled in the laboratories. As a class, organic peroxides are low powered explosives.
All organic peroxides are highly flammable.
Examples of shock sensitive chemicals, high energy oxidizers and substances which can form explosive peroxides are listed at the end of this section. Before working with a highly reactive material or high energy oxidizer, review available reference literature to obtain specific safety information. The proposed reactions should be discussed with your supervisor. Scale-ups should be handled with great care, giving consideration to the reaction vessel size and cooling, heating, stirring and equilibration rates. Excessive amounts of highly reactive compounds should not be purchased, synthesized, or stored in the laboratories.