Are diazides really dangerous compounds under ordinary conditions

Abstract An investigation into the stability of three commonly used diazides (1,3-diazido-propane, 1,3-diazido-propan-2-ol, and 1,3-diazido-propanone) was performed. Despite their use in synthesis, no previous investigation of their thermal stability has been reported. DSC analysis revealed a strong difference in thermal behavior, despite very similar nitrogen content in their structures. While 1,3-diazido-propane and 1,3-diazido-propan-2-ol showed thermal stability up to 175 °C, the carbonyl parent showed an exothermic event starting at 100 °C and culminating at 138 °C (-1047 J g-1), representing a significant risk. This potentially explosive behavior seems to reflect the lack of stability at normal temperatures (in our case 40 °C), where no chemical reaction was observed in its attempted transformation into bistriazoles, compared to the other diazides which gave good yields.