Sarin used In Syrian Chemical Warfare

As I'm sure most people know, the Syrian government recently deployed chemical agents upon the rebel soldiers and many men, women, and children were either killed or injured.  The chemical used in these attacks has been confirmed to be Sarin, an organophosphorous compound.  It is a poison that neither smell nor taste but can kill anyone exposed within 1 minute.  It was discovered by accident by the Nazis when they realized the new insecticide they just developed severely disrupted the nervous system.  Biologically, it inhibits acetylcholinesterase, which normally breaks downs acetylcholine after it is used during an action potential.  With this enzyme inhibited, the nerve impulses and muscle activity continually fire.  The person usually asphyxiates due to disrupted rhythm  in their normal breathing cycle.

Unfortunately, sarin is apparently fairly easy to make.  However, it can be very dangerous and the person runs the risk of killing themselves in the process.  There are multiple mechanisms, one of which the main reagent is simply rubbing alcohol.  This increases the threat of this toxin because anyone with the right equipment and make it and potentially use it as a weapon of mass destruction.  I do not know many of the details of the Syrian attacks or of the US's response to them, but based on the horrific details of this poison I read about, if we have to opportunity to stop the spread of these attacks, we probably should. who knows who they will attack next?

IUPAC name: (RS)-Propan-2-yl methylphosphonofluoridate

• http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/17/sarin-deadly-history-nerve-agent-syria-un
• Emergency Response Safety and Health Database. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Accessed April 20, 2009.
• Abu-Qare AW, Abou-Donia MB (October 2002). "Sarin: health effects, metabolism, and methods of analysis". Food Chem. Toxicol. 40 (10): 1327–33.