a poisonous compound, N 2 O 4 , occurring as a colorless, water-soluble solid or liquid, dissociating into NO 2 : used chiefly as an oxidizer, especially in rocket fuels, as a nitrating agent, and as an intermediate in the manufacture of nitric acid.
a crystalline or amorphous, colorless, poisonous compound, OsO 4 , soluble in water, alcohol, and ether: used for microscopic staining, in photography, and as a catalyst in organic synthesis.
