UN/NA Number Reference
DOT Class 2.3 Toxic Gas placard

UN 2421: Nitrogen trioxide

49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table·ERG 2024

DOT Classification and Shipping

UN 2421 is assigned the proper shipping name Nitrogen trioxide in the U.S. DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101). It is classified as a Class 2.3 Toxic Gas material. Required label(s): 2.3, 5.1, 8.

Packing group indicates the degree of danger within a hazard class: PG I is high danger, PG II medium, PG III low. The proper shipping name, hazard class, UN number, and packing group together form the basic shipping description that must appear on shipping papers and, where required, on the package and placard.

Emergency Response (ERG Guide 124)

Hazards: TOXIC. Oxidizer. May accelerate fire. Corrosive. May cause severe burns.

Fire: Use water spray or fog. Do not use dry chemical or CO2. Cool containers.

Spill: Do not touch. Stop leak if safe. Keep combustibles away from spilled material.

Chemical and Physical Properties

Nitrogen trioxide appears as a blue liquid with a sharp, unpleasant chemical odor. Density 1.447 g / cm3. Low-boiling (boiling point 3.5 °C) and held as a liquid by compression. Partially dissociates into NO and NO2. Strong irritant to skin, eyes and mucous membranes. Vapors very toxic by inhalation. Used in special purpose fuels. Under prolonged exposure to intense heat the container may rupture violently and rocket.

CAS Number: 10544-73-7
Molecular Formula: N2O3
Molecular Weight: 76.012 g/mol
Boiling Point: 38 F

Special Provisions

49 CFR 172.102 special provision codes for this entry: 1. These codes modify the general requirements (packaging, quantity limits, exceptions) for this specific material. Look up each code in 49 CFR 172.102 for the full text.

Need the full interactive record? Open UN 2421 in the SpillNerd lookup tool for the live database entry with placard graphics, GHS pictograms, full segregation tables, and synonym search. For another material, use the UN number and chemical lookup.

Reference data compiled from the DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101), the 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook, and public chemical databases (PubChem, NIOSH, EPA). Always verify the correct shipping description against the current regulation and the manufacturer's SDS Section 14 before shipping.