THE CHEMISTRY OF CHLORAMINES (1931) [JSTOR ACCESS]

In the term “chloramine” the chemist includes all amino (—NH₂) or imino (=NH) groups in which the hydrogen has all or in part been replaced by chlorine. The term “chloramine” to those in the medical and pharmaceutical professions refers more or less specifically to the mono-[chlorine] and di-chlorine substituted toluine sulphonamide derivatives, usually known as Chloramine-T, Halazone or Dichloramine-T. To those interested in the treatment of water and related endeavors the term is restricted to the chlorine substitution products of ammonia. Even in this field the term “chloramine” has come, through general usage, to indicate monochloramine, NH₂Cl. However, in almost every application of chloramines to water treatment we are dealing with a variable mixture of the mono- and di-chloramine (NHCl₂). Under certain extreme conditions the trichloramine or nitrogen trichloride (NCl₃) can be formed in the treatment of water, but it is seldom encountered and is decidedly undesirable.