CR gas
Chemical name	dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine
Chemical formula	C13H9NO
Molecular mass	195.22 g/mol
CAS number	[257-07-8]
Density	x.xxx g/cm3
Melting point	73 °C
Boiling point	xx.x °C
SMILES	C1(C=CC=C2)=C2OC (C=CC=C3)=C3N=C1
Disclaimer and references

CR gas or dibenzoxazepine, chemically dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine, is an incapacitating agent and a lachrymatory agent. CR was developed by the British Ministry of Defence as a riot control agent in the late 50's and early 60's. CR gas structure. ... IUPAC nomenclature is a system of naming chemical compounds and of describing the science of chemistry in general. ... A chemical formula (also called molecular formula) is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. ... The molecular mass (abbreviated MM) of a substance, called molecular weight and abbreviated as MW, is the mass of one molecule of that substance, relative to the unified atomic mass unit u (equal to 1/12 the mass of one atom of carbon-12). ... CAS registry numbers are unique numerical identifiers for chemical compounds, polymers, biological sequences, mixtures and alloys. ... Density (symbol: ρ - Greek: rho) is a measure of mass per unit of volume. ... The melting point of a solid is the temperature at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ... The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which it can change its state from a liquid to a gas throughout the bulk of the liquid at a given pressure. ... The simplified molecular input line entry specification or SMILES is a specification for unambiguously describing the structure of chemical molecules using short ASCII strings. ... The term incapacitating agent is defined by the U.S. Department of Defense as An agent that produces temporary physiological or mental effects, or both, which will render individuals incapable of concerted effort in the performance of their assigned duties. ... Categories: Stub | Chemical weapons ... The Ministry of Defence (MOD, pronounced em-oh-dee) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... A riot control agent is a type of lachrymatory agent (or lacrimatory agent). ...

Physical Properties

CR is a pale yellow crystalline solid with pepper-like odor. It is slightly soluble in water and does not degrade in it. CR is usually presented as a microparticulate solid, in the form of suspension in a propylene glycol based liquid. Flour suspended in water In chemistry, a suspension is a colloidal dispersion (mixture) in which a finely-divided species is combined with another species, with the former being so finely divided and mixed that it doesnt rapidly settle out. ... Chemical structure of propylene glycol Propylene glycol (C3H8O2; CAS no. ...

It is chemically related to loxapine, a typical antipsychotic drug. CR is loxapine's parent compound. It was first synthesised in 1962. ^[1] Categories: Stub | Typical antipsychotics ... Typical antipsychotics (sometimes referred to as conventional antipsychotics or conventional neuroleptics) are a class of antipsychotic drugs first developed in the 1950s and used to treat psychosis (in particular, schizophrenia), and are generally being replaced by atypical antipsychotic drugs. ... The United States, the FDA approves drugs. ...

Effects

CR gas is about 6-10 times stronger than CS gas. It causes very intense skin pain, namely around moist areas, blepharospasm causing temporary blindness, coughing and gasping for breath, and panic. It is capable of causing immediate incapacitation. CS or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (chemical formula: C10H5ClN2) is a substance that is used as a riot control agent and is usually claimed to be non-lethal by the forces who use it. ... A blepharospasm (from blepharo (eyelid) and spasm (uncontrolled muscle contraction)) is any abnormal tic or twitch of the eyelid. ...

It is a suspected carcinogen. It is considerably toxic - in a poorly ventilated space, an individual may inhale lethal dose within minutes. Death is caused by asphyxiation and pulmonary edema. // Carcinogen In pathology, a carcinogen is any substance or agent that promotes cancer. ... Asphyxia is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body. ... Pulmonary edema is swelling and/or fluid accumulation in the lungs. ...

The effect of CR is long-term and persistent. CR can persist on surfaces, especially porous ones, for up to 60 days.

Treatment

While CS can be decontaminated with large amount of water, use of water may exacerbate the effects of CR. Skin contaminated with CR gas may become extremely painful in contact with water for up to 48 hours after contamination. ^[2]

Medical treatment is mostly palliative. The contaminated clothing has to be removed. The eyes and skin can be washed, the eye pain can be alleviated with medications.^[3]

Use

On October 16, 1974, British forces allegedly used CR gas on republican and loyalist prisoners in Long Kesh. British government denied use of CR. This event remains controversial until now, as many of the prisoners affected later developed cancer. Irish Republicanism is an ideology based on the Irish nationalist belief that all of Ireland should be a united independent republic. ... Her Majestys Prison (HMP) Maze (known colloqually as The Maze) is a disused prison sited at the former RAF station at Long Kesh (it is still called Long Kesh by many Irish Republicans) near Lisburn, nine miles outside Belfast, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. ... When normal cells are damaged beyond repair, they are eliminated by apoptosis. ...

In the late 1980s, CR was used in the townships in South Africa. It caused some fatalities, particularly among children.^[4]

Because of its carcinogenic properties, the United States does not utilize CR for riot control.^[5]

See also

• Riot control agent
• Britain must come clean on CR gas
• The night Long Kesh went up in flames
• Military chemical compounds and their properties

A riot control agent is a type of lachrymatory agent (or lacrimatory agent). ...

References

1. CAS-Number and SMILES http://webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?ID=257-07-8&Units=SI
2. ↑  Higginbo R, Suschitzky H (1962). "Synthesis of Heterocyclic Compounds .2. Cyclisation of O-Nitrophenyl Oxygen Ethers". J Chem Soc: 2367-2370.
3. ↑  http://www.zarc.com/english/tear_gases/crdibenzoxazepine.html
4. ↑ Olajos EJ, Salem H (2001). "Riot Control Agents: Pharmacology, Toxicology, Biochemistry and Chemistry". J Appl Toxicol: 355-391.
5. ↑  http://atiam.train.army.mil/soldierPortal/atia/adlsc/view/public/9655-1/FM/3-11.9/chap3.htm
6. ↑  http://www.ainfos.ca/04/oct/ainfos00066.html

This article forms part of the series Chemical warfare
Blood agents:	Cyanogen chloride (CK) – Hydrogen cyanide (AC)
Blister agents:	Lewisite (L) – Sulfur mustard gas (HD, H, HT, HL, HQ) – Nitrogen mustard gas (HN1, HN2, HN3)
Nerve agents:	G-Agents: Tabun (GA) – Sarin (GB) – Soman (GD) – Cyclosarin (GF) | V-Agents: VE – VG – VM – VX
Pulmonary agents:	Chlorine – Chloropicrin (PS) – Phosgene (CG) – Diphosgene (DP)
Incapacitating agents:	Agent 15 (BZ) – KOLOKOL-1
Riot control agents:	Pepper spray (OC) – CS gas – CN gas – CR gas	.