diphosgene

American

[dahy-fos-jeen] / daɪˈfɒs dʒin /

noun

Chemistry.

a colorless liquid, C 2 Cl 4 O 2 , usually derived from methyl formate or methyl chloroformate by chlorination: a World War I poison gas now used chiefly in organic synthesis.

diphosgene British

/ daɪˈfɒzdʒiːn /

noun

an oily liquid with an extremely poisonous vapour, made by treating methanol with phosgene and chlorinating the product: has been used in chemical warfare. Formula: ClCOOCCl 3

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of diphosgene

First recorded in 1920–25; di- ¹ + phosgene

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This gas was first used by the Germans late in 1915 and then adopted by the Allies, while the Germans switched to diphosgene which is less stable than its chemical brother but easier to fill into shells.

From Time Magazine Archive

Chemistry's most spectacular contribution to World War I, apparently not yet used in World War II�chlorine, phosgene, diphosgene, chlorpicrin, diphenylchlorarsine, mustard�were all discovered in peace time by non-military scientists.

From Time Magazine Archive

The poison gases: mustard, lewisite, ethyldichlorarsine, chlorpicrin, diphosgene, phosgene and chlorine.

From Time Magazine Archive

The familiar Green Cross represented the slightly persistent, volatile, lethal compounds, such as phosgene and diphosgene.

From Project Gutenberg

Diphosgene or Trichlormethyl Chloroformate.—This substance was toxic, a lachrymator, and slightly persistent.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023