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