Why is ethylene oxide dangerous?

Answer 1

Ethylene oxide is a small cyclic ether that is widely used as a disinfectant.

Any compressed gas poses a safety hazard. It turns out that ethylene oxide is pretty nasty stuff. While ethylene oxide has a fairly high boiling point of #10.5# #""^@C#, it is used as a fumigant and as a disinfectant that leaves no residue (it can therefore be used to sterilize equipment that cannot be autoclaved - i.e. BOILED!). It can, however, be fairly safely used in a laboratory by distillation from trap to trap or temporarily stored at #-78.5# #""^@C# (ethanol/dry ice temperature).

The best way to add a two-carbon chain in organic synthesis is, as you probably already know, with ethylene oxide. Grignard and lithium reagents add to the ring to produce a two-carbon-long primary alcohol (after ring opening and work-up):

#RMgX + C_2H_4O rarr RCH_2CH_2OMgX#

Although a long time has passed since I used it, I seem to recall that it had a faint scent similar to sweet sherry—much nicer than the strong, piercing smell of ammonia.

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Answer 2

Ethylene oxide is dangerous due to its carcinogenic properties and potential to cause respiratory and other health issues. Long-term exposure is associated with an increased risk of cancer, and acute exposure may lead to irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory system.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

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