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Reactive Group Datasheet

Bases

What are reactive groups?

Reactive groups are categories of chemicals that typically react in similar ways because they are similar in their chemical structure. Each substance with a chemical datasheet has been assigned to one or more reactive groups, and CAMEO Chemicals uses the reactive group assignments to make its reactivity predictions. More Info...

If you can't find a chemical in the database--but you know what reactive group it belongs in--you can add the reactive group to MyChemicals instead in order to see the reactivity predictions.

There are 66 chemical datasheets assigned to this reactive group.

Description

Flammability
Materials in this group are mostly nonflammable and non-combustible. Exceptions include the alcoholic solutions of sodium methylate (in which the solvent is flammable) and other mixtures that contain organic components. Also, ammonia, which is considered to be nonflammable, actually does burn with difficulty and in confined spaces has exploded.
Reactivity
Compounds in this group are chemically similar to sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or sodium oxide (Na2O). They neutralize acids exothermically to form salts plus water. When soluble in water they give solutions having a pH greater than 7.0. Mixing these materials with water can generate troublesome amounts of heat as the base is dissolved or diluted. Bases react with certain metals (such as aluminum and zinc) to form oxides or hydroxides of the metal and generate gaseous hydrogen. Bases may initiate polymerization reactions in polymerizable organic compounds, especially epoxides. They may generate flammable and/or toxic gases with ammonium salts, nitrides, halogenated organics, various metals, peroxides, and hydroperoxides. Materials of this group often serve as catalysts.
Toxicity
Corrosive to tissue.
Other Characteristics
Solutions of bases have a bitter taste and a slippery feel; they turn red litmus blue.
Examples
Sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, barium oxide, beryllium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide.

Reactivity Documentation

Click on the links below to see how this reactive group is predicted to react when it is mixed with one of the 47 reactive groups. A variety of documentation about that reactive group pair will be displayed, including predicted hazards, predicted gas byproducts, and background materials and references used to make the predictions.

Mix Bases with:

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