Editing Tabun (nerve agent) (section)

==Chemistry and Synthesis==
===Reactions===
Tabun can be deactivated chemically using common oxidizing agents such as sodium hypochlorite.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sodium Hypochlorite - Medical Countermeasures Database - CHEMM |url=https://chemm.hhs.gov/countermeasure_sodium-hypochlorite.htm |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=chemm.hhs.gov}}</ref>
===Historic synthesis===
Tabun was made on an industrial scale by Germany during World War II, based on a process developed by [[Gerhard Schrader]]. In the chemical agent factory in [[Brzeg Dolny|Dyhernfurth an der Oder]], code-named "Hochwerk", at least 12,000 metric tons of this agent were manufactured between 1942 and 1945. The manufacturing process consisted of two steps (see below)<!--, the first being reaction of gaseous [[dimethylamine]] ('''1''') with an excess of [[phosphoryl chloride]] ('''2'''), yielding dimethylamidophosphoric dichloride ('''3''', codenamed "Produkt 39" or "D 4") and dimethylammonium chloride ('''4'''). The [[dimethylamidophosphoric dichloride]] thus obtained was purified by vacuum distillation and thereafter transferred to the main tabun production line. Here it was reacted with an excess of [[sodium cyanide]] ('''5'''), dispersed in dry [[chlorobenzene]], yielding the intermediate [[dimethylamidophosphoric dicyanide]] (not depicted in the scheme) and [[sodium chloride]] ('''8'''); then, absolute [[ethanol]] ('''6''') was added, reacting with the dimethylamidophosphoric dicyanide to yield tabun ('''7''') and [[hydrogen cyanide]] ('''9'''). A-->; after the reactions, the mixture (consisting of ~75% solvent, ~25% desired product, plus insoluble salts and reactants)<!--the rest of the hydrogen cyanide--> was filtered <!--to remove the insoluble salts -->and vacuum-distilled.<!--to remove hydrogen cyanide and excess chlorobenzene, so--> This yielded a technical product consisting either of 95% <!--tabun with 5% chlorobenzene (Tabun A) or (later in the war) of--> or 80% tabun <!--with 20% chlorobenzene -->(then known as Tabun A or B, respectively,{{Inconsistent|date = March 2024}} the second a product later in the war).<ref name=Lohs1967>{{cite book |last=Lohs |first=K. |date=1967 |chapter = 3. Gifte, deren Wirkung sich hauptsächlich auf das Nervensystem bzw. [beziehungsweise] auf lebenswichtige Enzyme erstreckt [Poisons, mainly affecting the nervous system, in particular involving vital enzymes]|title= Synthetische Gifte: Zur Chemie, Toxikologie und zu Problemen ihrer völkerrechtswidrigen Anwendung durch imperialistische Armeen |edition= überarb. u. erg. [rev. and expand.] |language=German |trans-title=Synthetic poisons: On the chemistry, toxicology and problems of their illegal use by imperialist armies |url=https://www.gbv.de/dms/weimar/toc/182750841_toc.pdf | access-date=31 March 2024 | location = Berlin [East] | publisher = Militärverlag der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (Military Publisher's of the [[German Democratic Republic]])}}{{better source|date = March 2024}} The translations of chapter and book title here were editor-generated.</ref>{{verification needed|date = March 2024}}{{better source|date = March 2024}}

[[Image:TabunSynthesis.png|400px]]