Methyl Salicylate: A Reactive Chemical Warfare Agent Surrogate to Detect Reaction with Hypochlorite (POSTPRINT)

Methyl Salicylate MeS has been widely used as a surrogate for the chemical agents GD and HD in tests such as vapor penetration because all three exhibit similar volatility. The chemistry of the same three chemicals is grossly dissimilar, and different surrogates --e.g., diisopropyl fluorophosphate for GD in challenges by a nucleophilic neutralizing agent, because both share the R-O-P-F functionality --are generally used for tests of reactivity with potential neutralizing agents. However, the phenolic -OH of MeS suggests oxidizability, which raised the possibility that MeS might function as a surrogate for examining the efficiency of coverage and distribution of a sprayed oxidizing agent as a neutralizing treatment.