Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine

Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) is a toxic, volatile hydrazine derivative with formula C₂H₈N₂. It is used as a hypergolic rocket fuel and as a chemical intermediate.

Hypergolic propellant: A rocket propellant combination that ignites spontaneously when its fuel and oxidizer come into contact. UDMH serves as the fuel in combinations that ignite on contact with an oxidizer.
Hydrazine: A colorless, reactive inorganic compound with formula N₂H₄, used in chemical synthesis and propulsion. UDMH is a methyl-substituted derivative of hydrazine.
Hydrazine derivatives: Compounds formed by replacing one or more hydrogen atoms in hydrazine with other groups. UDMH belongs to this family through substitution of two hydrogens by methyl groups.
Hydrazine toxicity: The harmful effects caused by exposure to hydrazine compounds, including irritation and systemic injury. UDMH shares serious acute and chronic hazards with other hydrazine compounds.
Aerozine 50: A rocket fuel blend of roughly equal parts UDMH and hydrazine. This widely used blend pairs UDMH with hydrazine for storable rocket propulsion.
Hypergolicity: The property of a fuel and oxidizer igniting spontaneously upon contact. UDMH fuels ignite on contact with suitable oxidizers, avoiding a separate ignition system.
Dimethylhydrazine: A hydrazine compound bearing two methyl groups, with two possible arrangements of those groups. UDMH is one of the two structural isomers called dimethylhydrazine.
Carcinogen: An agent capable of causing cancer in exposed organisms. UDMH is treated as a potential occupational carcinogenic hazard.
Dinitrogen tetroxide: A colorless-to-brown molecular compound, N₂O₄, used as a storable rocket oxidizer. It is a common oxidizer paired with UDMH-based fuels in hypergolic engines.
Rocket engine: A propulsion device that produces thrust by expelling high-speed reaction products. UDMH releases chemical energy through combustion in rocket engines.

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