Isopropyl aminoethylmethyl phosphonite (NATO designation QL), also known as ''O''-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) '-ethyl methylphosphonite, is a precursor chemical to the

nerve agent Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme that ...

VX and VR-56. It is a colorless liquid with a strong fishy odor, and is slightly soluble in water.

Synthesis

QL is manufactured by reacting diethyl methylphosphonite with 2-(diisopropylamino)ethanol.

Uses in chemical warfare

QL is a component in binary chemical weapons, mainly VX

National Research Council National Research Council may refer to: * National Research Council (Canada), sponsoring research and development * National Research Council (Italy), scientific and technological research, Rome * National Research Council (United States), part of ...

, et al. ''Systems and Technologies for the Treatment of Non-stockpile Chemical Warfare Materiel'',
Google Books)
National Academies Press, 2002, p. 14, (), accessed October 21, 2008. It, along with

methylphosphonyl difluoride Methylphosphonyl difluoride (DF), also known as EA-1251 or difluoro, is a chemical weapon precursor. Its chemical formula is CH3POF2. It is a Schedule 1 substance under the Chemical Weapons Convention. It is used for production of sarin and so ...

(DF), was developed during the 1980s in order to replace an aging stockpile of unitary

chemical weapons A chemical weapon (CW) is a specialized munition that uses chemicals formulated to inflict death or harm on humans. According to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), this can be any chemical compound intended as a ...

. QL is listed as a

Schedule 1 Schedule 1 may refer to: * Schedule I Controlled Substances within the US Controlled Substances Act * Schedule I Controlled Drugs and Substances within the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act * Schedule I Psychotropic Substances within t ...

chemical by the Chemical Weapons Convention."Schedule One Chemicals"
Chemical Weapons Convention
, US Government website, Retrieved November 15, 2008.

Toxicity

QL itself is a relatively non-toxic chemical.Croddy, Eric and Wirtz, James J. ''Weapons of Mass Destruction: An Encyclopedia of Worldwide Policy, Technology, and History'',
Google Books
, ABC-CLIO, 2005, p. 238, (), accessed October 21, 2008. However, when reacting with sulfur, the corresponding sulfide of QL isomerizes into the highly toxic VX molecule.

References

{{U.S. chemical weapons Nerve agent precursors Organophosphonites Diisopropylamino compounds Ethoxy compounds