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Name: n-Butyllithium
Chemical Formula: C4H9Li
Appearance: Clear to slightly yellow liquid, pungent odor, typically delivered dissolved in hexanes or other hydrocarbons
Common Uses: Strong base, reagent in organic synthesis, initiator for polymerization reactions
Hazard Statements: Pyrophoric liquid, highly flammable, reacts with air and moisture
Immediate Risks: Fire, chemical burns, toxic fumes upon contact with water or air
Hazard Type: Spontaneously flammable in air, reacts violently with water
Acute Danger: Severe skin and eye burns, respiratory tract damage
Chronic Risks: May cause delayed health effects if inhaled or absorbed
Main Routes of Exposure: Skin contact, eye contact, inhalation of fumes
GHS Classification: Flammable liquids (Category 1), Pyrophoric liquids (Category 1), Corrosive to metals (Category 1), Acute toxicity (Oral, Category 3)
Main Component: n-Butyllithium
Concentration: Typically ranges between 1.6 M and 2.5 M in hydrocarbon solvents
Solvent: Commonly hexanes or cyclohexane
Potential Impurities: Can contain trace lithium compounds or hydrocarbon solvent contaminants depending on supplier and handling
Skin Contact: Immediate and thorough rinsing with large amounts of water, remove contaminated clothing, seek medical aid fast
Eye Contact: Flush eyes continuously using safety showers or eyewash stations for at least 15 minutes, prompt medical attention critical
Inhalation: Remove victim from exposure, ensure access to fresh air, perform artificial respiration if necessary, medical evaluation required
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting, rinse mouth, immediate hospital transport is essential due to corrosive and toxic effects
Potential Complications: Chemical burns, airway swelling, risk of secondary fire injury from contaminated clothes
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Dry powder such as Class D powder, do not use water or foam
Fire Hazards: Fires rapidly escalate with exposure to moisture, produces flammable and toxic gases
Protection for Firefighters: Full face self-contained breathing apparatus, chemically resistant gear, maintain safe distance
Special Considerations: Runoff from fire control or dilution water may cause environmental and health hazards, isolation recommended
Personal Protection: Chemically resistant gloves, safety goggles, flame-resistant lab coat, face shield for splash risk
Methods for Clean-Up: Cover spill with dry sand or inert material, scoop up and transfer to fireproof waste container, avoid any water contact
Evacuation: Restrict access to the area, alert coworkers or building authorities, ventilate only with explosion-proof equipment
Waste Handling: Dispose under supervision in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations, transfer waste in grounded, sealed containers
Environmental Risks: Will ignite on water, releases hazardous hydrocarbon and lithium oxide byproducts, risk to water sources high if mishandled
Storage Requirements: Store in tightly closed containers, under inert atmosphere (nitrogen or argon), in flammable storage cabinets
Safe Handling: Use only in fume hoods with flame-proof ventilation, ground all containers to prevent static discharge, decant and syringe-transfer under positive inert gas pressure
Temperature Sensitivity: Room temperature storage increases pressure; refrigeration minimizes risk, but freezing may rupture containers
Incompatibility: Water, acids, oxidizers, halogenated solvents
Routine Precautions: Inspect containers daily for leaks or pressure build-up, establish clear labeling and segregate from all water sources
Engineering Controls: Well-ventilated fume hood, explosion-proof electrical fixtures, fire suppression systems
Personal Protective Equipment: Nitrile or rubber gloves, flame-resistant lab coats, ANSI-rated goggles, face shields, closed shoes
Workplace Practices: Never work alone; double-check container integrity, keep spill supplies on hand, ensure proper training in pyrophoric handling
Exposure Limits: No established OSHA or ACGIH limits, but exposure must be minimized due to severe acute effects of lithium compounds and hydrocarbon solvents
Hygiene Measures: Remove contaminated clothing immediately, thoroughly wash hands and skin after handling, no eating or drinking permitted in area
Physical State: Liquid
Color: Colorless to pale yellow
Odor: Strong, pungent hydrocarbon odor
Solubility: Decomposes on water contact, not miscible
Boiling Point: Ranges with solvent, often above 60 °C due to presence in hexanes or cyclohexane
Flash Point: Very low (below room temperature)
Density: Depends on concentration and solvent
Vapor Pressure: Increases with temperature, risk of venting or rupture if heated
Key Reactivity Traits: Very sensitive to aerial moisture, instant ignition in presence of water or damp air
Chemical Stability: Stable only under inert gas, in dry, sealed systems
Reactivity: Pyrophoric, violently decomposes with water or acids, reacts dangerously with air
Incompatible Materials: Water, acids, carbon dioxide, alcohols, halogenated solvents, oxidizers
Thermal Decomposition: Produces flammable gases, lithium oxide, and other toxic byproducts
Hazardous Reactions: Even small spills can catch fire in the open air, corrosion of metal containers may create leaks and unnoticed pressure build-up
Acute Effects: Severe burns, tissue necrosis, airway swelling from respiratory exposure, immediate irritation and pain on contact
Ingestion Risk: Toxic systemic effects, including central nervous system depression, shock, potential fatality
Inhalation Risks: Harmful, possibly fatal, depending on volume and duration, risk of pulmonary edema
Chronic Exposure: Repeated small exposures can sensitize skin, respiratory tract, risk of lithium toxicity
Known Mechanisms: Rapid alkali tissue destruction, solvent-induced narcosis or CNS depression
Symptoms of Overexposure: Pain, redness, swelling, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, confusion
Medical Evaluation: Complex, involves symptomatic and supportive treatment, long-term monitoring often necessary after significant exposure
Aquatic Toxicity: Highly toxic to aquatic life due to violent reaction with water releasing lithium ions and hydrocarbon byproducts
Persistence and Degradability: Degrades rapidly via reaction, but products contaminate water and soil
Bioaccumulation: Lithium salts may accumulate in organisms, disrupt aquatic food chains
Ecological Risks: Even small-scale spills can devastate water bodies, broad ecosystem impact from both the chemical and resulting fires
Waste Disposal: Neutralize carefully under strict supervision, follow all local, state, and federal hazardous waste disposal laws
Disposal Methods: Incineration by licensed chemical waste plants, cannot enter drains, sewers, or surface waters
Container Treatment: Triple-rinse with compatible, reaction-quenched solvents; puncture and deface before landfill as hazardous waste
Community Impact: Large-scale disposal calls for coordinated response, environmental remediation if accidental release occurs
UN Number: Designated as hazardous/pyrophoric material
Shipping Description: Flammable, pyrophoric liquid, packed under inert gas, only in approved, pressure-rated containers
Labeling: Clearly marked as dangerous, prominent flammable/explosive/pyrophoric labels required
Transportation Requirements: Only by trained, certified personnel, cannot travel with incompatible materials, must meet hazardous material shipping regulations
Incident Preparedness: Emergency response kits and spill containment supplies mandatory during all transit stages, no exceptions drawn for short-range moves
Regulation: Controlled as pyrophoric, flammable, and dangerous substance under national chemical safety laws
Workplace Rules: Workers must follow chemical hygiene plans, be trained in emergency and spill response, maintain records of inventory and incidents
Community Notification: Large-scale users must inform local responders and environmental authorities due to elevated accident risk
Consumer Protection: Strictly limited to industrial and professional users; no consumer sales allowed due to severe risk profile
Compliance: Inspections, audits, and written procedures required by safety and environmental agencies; violations draw rapid enforcement actions
