Sigma-Aldrich Sodium azide, ReagentPlus®, ≥99.5%

Sodium Azide (NaN3) is a potent inhibitor – a water-soluble crystalline powder that′s odorless. Widely recognized for its versatile applications, it plays a pivotal role across molecular biology, cell culture, and biochemical research. Sodium azide is commonly used as a bacteriostatic preservative in aqueous laboratory reagents and biological fluids. It is also a metabolic inhibitor, which inhibits oxidative phosphorylation. In cell culture, it maintains the integrity of your cell lines by preventing microbial contamination. Its application extends to molecular biology, where it aids in preserving nucleic acids for downstream analysis, ensuring the fidelity of your results.

Application

Baylis-Hillman acetates such as ethyl 2-(acetoxyphenylmethyl)acrylate can undergo nucleophilic displacement by sodium azide in aqueous medium to form ethyl (E)-2-azidomethyl-3-phenylpropenoate.[1]Sodium azide is suitable for use in histopathology to prepare and store tissue samples.Also used as a component of staining buffer (HEPES buffer) for whole mount immunolabelling.

Catalyst for:

• Oxidative decarboxylation
• Michael addition reactions

Reagent for synthesis of

• Blue fluorescent copolymers[7]
• Metal phosphonates[8]
• Arenes via aminations[9]

Biochem/physiol Actions

Sodium azide is clinically used as a preservative in diluting fluid for counting red blood cells.[10] It prevents capping and internalization of fluorescent surface-bound antibodies in various scientific applications, including flow cytometry.