Infrared signatures of thermal degradation products from chemical warfare agent simulants

Using kinetic FTIR, we have measured the infrared spectra of diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP), a chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulant, and its decomposition products under a variety of heating conditions. DIMP and its phosphorus-containing decomposition products have many overlapping spectral features, all of them changing with temperature, making unique identification of individual compounds exceedingly difficult. We have analyzed these spectra and identified spectral features that allow us to identify specific compounds.