VR (nerve agent)

Chembox new
Name = VR (nerve agent)
ImageFile = VRnervegas.png ImageName = Skeletal formula of VR
IUPACName = N,N-diethyl-2-(methyl-(2-methylpropoxy)phosphoryl)sulfanylethanamine
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
CASNo = 159939-87-4
SMILES = CCN(CC)CCSP(=O)(C)OCC(C)C
PubChem = 178033
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = C₁₁H₂₆NO₂PS
MolarMass = 267.368 g/mol
Density =
MeltingPt =
BoilingPt =

VR (Russian VX, Soviet V-gas, Substance 33, R-33) is a "V-series" nerve agent closely related to the better-known VX nerve agent. [Fedorov LA. Undeclared Chemical War in Russia. Moscow, 1995 (Russian)]

The development of VR started in the late 1950s by a team from the Soviet Union's Scientific Research Institute No. 42 (NII-42). Sergei Ivin, Leonid Soborovsky, and a female chemist named Ia Danilovna Shilakova jointly developed this analogue of VX. They completed their work in 1963 and were later awarded the Lenin Prize for their achievement. [Tucker, J. B.; War of Nerves; Anchor Books; New York; 2006; pp 181-182.]

In 1972 the Soviets opened a manufacturing plant for VR in Novocheboksarsk. [Tucker, J. B.; War of Nerves; Anchor Books; New York; 2006; pp 230-231.] This facility produced 15,557 tons of VR according to their declaration to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), [ [http://www.cbwinfo.com/Chemical/Nerve/VR.shtml Factsheets on Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents] ] although most if not all of this has now been destroyed under disarmament treaties. [ [http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/cbw/cw.htm Federation of American Scientists. Chemical Weapons - Russian/Soviet Nuclear Forces] ]

VR has similar lethal dose levels to VX (between 10-50 mg) and has similar symptoms and method of action to other nerve agents that act on cholinesterase, and treatment remains the same. However the window for effectively treating second generation V series seizures is shorter, as they rapidly denature the acetylcholinesterase protein in a similar manner to soman, making treatment with the standard nerve gas antidote pralidoxime ineffective unless it is given very soon after exposure. Pre-treatment with pyridostigmine prior to exposure, and treatment with other drugs such as atropine and diazepam after exposure, will reduce symptoms of nerve agent toxicity but may not be sufficient to prevent death if a large dose of nerve agent has been absorbed. In addition to the standard seizures, some of the second generation V series agents are known to cause comas.

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