Office of Risk Management

Common Water-Reactive Chemicals

Chemical Name	Reaction with Water
Acetic anhydride	May boil explosively
Acetyl chloride	Violently decomposes to HCl and acetic acid
Aluminum bromide	Violent hydrolysis
Aluminum chloride	Violent decomposition forming HCl gas
Boron tribromide	Violent or explosive reaction when water added
Butyl lithium	Ignites on contact with water
Calcium carbide	Gives off explosive acetylene gas
Calcium hydride	Hydrogen gas liberated
Chlorosulfonic acid	Highly exothermic violent reaction
Chlorotrimethyl Silane	Violent reaction
Dichlorodimethyl Silane	Violent reaction
Lithium aluminum hydride	Releases and ignites hydrogen gas
Lithium hydride	Violent decomposition
Lithium metal	Powder reacts explosively with water
Methyltrichlosilane	Violent reaction forming HCl
Oxalyl chloride	Violent reaction forming HCl
Phosphorous pentachloride	Violent reaction
Phosphorous pentoxide	Violent exothermic reaction
Phosphorous tribromide	Reacts violently with limited amounts of warm H2O
Phosphorous trichloride	Violent reaction releasing Flammable diphosphane
Phosphoryl chloride	Slow reaction which may become violent
Potassium amide	Violent reaction which may cause ignition
Potassium hydride	Releases hydrogen gas
Potassium metal	Forms KOH and hydrogen gas
Silicon tetrachloride	Violent reaction producing silicic acid
Sodium amide	Generates NaOH and NH3 (flammable)
Sodium azide	Violent reaction with strongly heated azide
Sodium hydride	Reacts explosively with water
Sodium hydrosulfite	Heating and spontaneous ignition with 10% H2O
Sodium metal	Generates flammable hydrogen gas
Tetrachloro silane	Violent reaction
Thionyl chloride	Violent reaction which forms HCl and SO2
Titanium tetrachloride	Violent reaction that produces HCL gas
Trichloro silane	Releases toxic and corrosive fumes
Triethyl aluminum	Explodes violently in water
Triisobutyl aluminum	Violent reaction with water
Zirconium Tetrachloride	Violent reaction with water