Soman

Soman (O-Pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is a fluorinated organophosphate and was one of the first nerve agents to be discovered. It is also known as GD and is one of the G-series nerve agents.

Soman is also described as 1,2,2-Trimethylpropyl methylphosphonofluoridate; 1,2,2,-Trimethylpropoxyfluoromethylphosphine oxide; Methylpinacolyloxyfluorophosphine oxide; Pinacolyloxymethylphosphonyl fluoride; Pinacolyl methanefluorophosphonate; Methylfluoropinacolylphosphonate; Fluoromethylpinacolyloxyphosphine Oxide; Methylpinacolyloxyphosphonyl fluoride; Pinacolyl methylfluorophosphonate. Its empirical formula is CH₃P(O)(F)OCH(CH₃)C(CH₃)₃ or C₇H₁₆FOP

Soman was discovered by Richard Kuhn in Germany in 1944, and represented the last wartime discovery (GF was not found until 1949.) Soman was given the identifier GD post-war (GC was already in medical use) when the information relating to Soman was recovered by the Soviet Union from its hiding place in a mine. It is a volative, corrosive and colourless liquid with a faint odour when pure, more commonly it is a yellow to brown color and has a stronger odour described as camphor. The LCt₅₀ for Soman is 70 mg-min/m³ in humans. It is both more lethal and more persistent that Sarin or Tabun.

GD can be thickened for use as a chemical spray using an acryloid copolymer.