Names | |||
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Preferred IUPAC name Dichloromethane | |||
Other names Methylene bichloride; Methylene chloride gas; Methylene dichloride; Solmethine; Narkotil; Solaesthin; Di-clo; Refrigerant-30; Freon-30; R-30; DCM; MDC | |||
Identifiers | |||
3D model (JSmol) | |||
ChEBI | |||
ChEMBL | |||
ChemSpider | |||
ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.763 | ||
EC Number |
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KEGG | |||
PubChem CID | |||
RTECS number |
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UNII | |||
UN number | 1593 | ||
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |||
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Properties | |||
CH2Cl2 | |||
Molar mass | 84.93 g·mol−1 | ||
Appearance | Colorless liquid | ||
Odor | Faint, chloroform-like [1] | ||
Density | 1.3266 g/cm3 (20 °C) [2] | ||
Melting point | −96.7 °C (−142.1 °F; 176.5 K) | ||
Boiling point | 39.6 °C (103.3 °F; 312.8 K) decomposes at 720 °C [3] 39.75 °C (103.55 °F; 312.90 K) at 760 mmHg [4] | ||
25.6 g/L (15 °C) 17.5 g/L (25 °C) 15.8 g/L (30 °C) 5.2 g/L (60 °C) [3] | |||
Solubility | Miscible in ethyl acetate, alcohol, hexanes, benzene, CCl4, diethyl ether, CHCl3 | ||
log P | 1.19 [5] | ||
Vapor pressure | 0.13 kPa (−70.5 °C) 2 kPa (−40 °C) 19.3 kPa (0 °C) 57.3 kPa (25 °C) [6] 79.99 kPa (35 °C) [3] | ||
Henry's law constant (kH) | 3.25 L·atm/mol [4] | ||
−46.6·10−6 cm3/mol | |||
Refractive index (nD) | 1.4244 (20 °C) [4] [7] | ||
Viscosity | 0.43 cP (20 °C) [4] 0.413 cP (25 °C) | ||
Structure | |||
1.6 D | |||
Thermochemistry | |||
Heat capacity (C) | 102.3 J/(mol·K) [6] | ||
Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 174.5 J/(mol·K) [6] | ||
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | −124.3 kJ/mol [6] | ||
Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -454.0 kJ/mol (from standard enthalpies of formation) [6] | ||
Hazards | |||
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH): | |||
Eye hazards | Irritant | ||
GHS labelling: [7] | |||
Warning | |||
H315, H319, H335, H336, H351, H373 | |||
P261, P281, P305+P351+P338 | |||
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |||
Flash point | None, but can form flammable vapor-air mixtures above ≈100 °C [8] | ||
556 °C (1,033 °F; 829 K) | |||
Explosive limits | 13%-23% [1] | ||
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |||
LD50 (median dose) | 1.25 g/kg (rats, oral) 2 g/kg (rabbits, oral) [3] | ||
LC50 (median concentration) | 24,929 ppm (rat, 30 min) 14,400 ppm (mouse, 7 h) [9] | ||
LCLo (lowest published) | 5000 ppm (guinea pig, 2 h) 10,000 ppm (rabbit, 7 h) 12,295 ppm (cat, 4.5 h) 14,108 ppm (dog, 7 h) [9] | ||
NIOSH (US health exposure limits): | |||
PEL (Permissible) | 25 ppm over 8 hours (time-weighted average), 125 ppm over 15 minutes (STEL) [1] [10] | ||
REL (Recommended) | Ca [1] | ||
IDLH (Immediate danger) | Ca [2300 ppm] [1] | ||
Legal status | |||
Supplementary data page | |||
Dichloromethane (data page) | |||
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). |
Dichloromethane (DCM, methylene chloride, or methylene bichloride) is an organochlorine compound with the formula C H 2 Cl 2. This colorless, volatile liquid with a chloroform-like, sweet odor is widely used as a solvent. Although it is not miscible with water, it is slightly polar, and miscible with many organic solvents. [12]
Natural sources of dichloromethane include oceanic sources, macroalgae, wetlands, and volcanoes. [13] However, the majority of dichloromethane in the environment is the result of industrial emissions. [13]
DCM is produced by treating either chloromethane or methane with chlorine gas at 400–500 °C. At these temperatures, both methane and chloromethane undergo a series of reactions producing progressively more chlorinated products. In this way, an estimated 400,000 tons were produced in the US, Europe, and Japan in 1993. [12]
The output of these processes is a mixture of chloromethane, dichloromethane, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride as well as hydrogen chloride as a byproduct. These compounds are separated by distillation.
DCM was first prepared in 1839 by the French chemist Henri Victor Regnault (1810–1878), who isolated it from a mixture of chloromethane and chlorine that had been exposed to sunlight. [14]
DCM's volatility and ability to dissolve a wide range of organic compounds makes it a useful solvent for many chemical processes. [12] In the food industry, it is used to decaffeinate coffee and tea as well as to prepare extracts of hops and other flavourings. [15] [16] Its volatility has led to its use as an aerosol spray propellant and as a blowing agent for polyurethane foams.
The chemical compound's low boiling point allows the chemical to function in a heat engine that can extract mechanical energy from small temperature differences. An example of a DCM heat engine is the drinking bird. The toy works at room temperature. [17] It is also used as the fluid in jukebox displays and holiday bubble lights that have a colored bubbling tube above a lamp as a source of heat and a small amount of rock salt to provide thermal mass and a nucleation site for the phase changing solvent.
DCM chemically welds certain plastics. For example, it is used to seal the casing of electric meters. Often sold as a main component of plastic welding adhesives, it is also used extensively by model building hobbyists for joining plastic components together. It is commonly referred to as "Di-clo".
It is used in the garment printing industry for removal of heat-sealed garment transfers.
DCM is used in the material testing field of civil engineering; specifically it is used during the testing of bituminous materials as a solvent to separate the binder from the aggregate of an asphalt or macadam to allow the testing of the materials. [18]
Dichloromethane extract of Asparagopsis taxiformis , a seaweed fodder for cattle, has been found to reduce their methane emissions by 79%. [19]
It has been used as the principal component of various paint and lacquer strippers, although its use is now restricted in the EU and many such products now use benzyl alcohol as a safer alternative.
Dichloromethane is widely used as a solvent in part because it is relatively inert. It does participate in reactions with certain strong nucleophiles however. Tert-butyllithium deprotonates DCM: [20]
Methyllithium reacts with methylene chloride to give chlorocarbene:[ citation needed ]
Although DCM is a common solvent in organic chemistry laboratories and is commonly assumed to be inert, it does react with some amines and triazoles. [21] Tertiary amines can react with DCM to form quaternary chloromethyl chloride salts via the Menshutkin reaction. [22] Secondary amines can react with DCM to yield an equilibrium of iminium chlorides and chloromethyl chlorides, which can react with a second equivalent of the secondary amine to form aminals. [23] At increased temperatures, pyridines including DMAP, react with DCM to form methylene bispyridinium dichlorides. [24] Hydroxybenzotriazole and related reagents used in peptide coupling react with DCM in the presence of triethylamine, forming acetals. [25]
Serious health risks are associated with DCM, despite being one of the least toxic simple chlorohydrocarbons. Its high volatility makes it an inhalation hazard. [26] [27] It can also be absorbed through the skin. [1] [28] Symptoms of acute overexposure to dichloromethane via inhalation include difficulty concentrating, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headaches, numbness, weakness, and irritation of the upper respiratory tract and eyes. More severe consequences can include suffocation, loss of consciousness, coma, and death. [1] [28]
DCM is also metabolized to carbon monoxide potentially leading to carbon monoxide poisoning. [29] Acute exposure by inhalation has resulted in optic neuropathy [30] and hepatitis. [31] Prolonged skin contact can result in DCM dissolving some of the fatty tissues in skin, resulting in skin irritation or chemical burns. [32]
It may be carcinogenic, as it has been linked to cancer of the lungs, liver, and pancreas in laboratory animals. [33] Other animal studies showed breast cancer and salivary gland cancer. Research is not yet clear as to what levels may be carcinogenic to humans. [1] [28] DCM crosses the placenta but fetal toxicity in women who are exposed to it during pregnancy has not been proven. [34] In animal experiments, it was fetotoxic at doses that were maternally toxic but no teratogenic effects were seen. [33]
In people with pre-existing heart problems, exposure to DCM can cause abnormal heart rhythms and/or heart attacks, sometimes without any other symptoms of overexposure. [28] People with existing liver, nervous system, or skin problems may worsen after exposure to methylene chloride. [10]
In many countries, products containing DCM must carry labels warning of its health risks. Concerns about its health effects have led to a search for alternatives in many of its applications. [12] [35]
In the European Union, the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limit Values (SCOEL) recommends an occupational exposure limit for DCM of 100 ppm (8-hour time-weighted average) and a short-term exposure limit of 200 ppm for a 15-minute period. [36] The European Parliament voted in 2009 to ban the use of DCM in paint-strippers for consumers and many professionals, [37] with the ban taking effect in December 2010. [38]
In February 2013, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health warned that at least 14 bathtub refinishers have died since 2000 from DCM exposure. These workers had been working alone, in poorly ventilated bathrooms, with inadequate or no respiratory protection, and no training about the hazards of DCM. [10] [28] [39] OSHA has since then issued a DCM standard. [40]
On March 15, 2019, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule to prohibit the manufacture (including importing and exporting), processing, and distribution of DCM in all paint removers for consumer use, effective in 180 days. However, it does not affect other products containing DCM, including many consumer products not intended for paint removal. On April 20, 2023, the EPA proposed a widespread ban on the production of DCM with some exceptions for military and industrial uses. [41] On April 30, 2024, the EPA finalized a ban on most commercial uses of DCM, which mainly banned its application for stripping paint and degreasing surfaces but allowed for some remaining commercial applications, such as chemical production. [42]
Dichloromethane is not classified as an ozone-depleting substance by the Montreal Protocol. [43] The US Clean Air Act does not regulate dichloromethane as an ozone depleter. [44] Dichloromethane has been classified as a very short-lived substance (VSLS). Despite their short atmospheric lifetimes of less than 0.5 year, VSLSs can contribute to stratospheric ozone depletion, particularly if emitted in regions where rapid transport to the stratosphere occurs. [45] Atmospheric abundances of dichloromethane have been increasing in recent years.
Phosgene is an organic chemical compound with the formula COCl2. It is a toxic, colorless gas; in low concentrations, its musty odor resembles that of freshly cut hay or grass. It can be thought of chemically as the double acyl chloride analog of carbonic acid, or structurally as formaldehyde with the hydrogen atoms replaced by chlorine atoms. Phosgene is a valued and important industrial building block, especially for the production of precursors of polyurethanes and polycarbonate plastics.
In organic chemistry, isocyanate is the functional group with the formula R−N=C=O. Organic compounds that contain an isocyanate group are referred to as isocyanates. An organic compound with two isocyanate groups is known as a diisocyanate. Diisocyanates are manufactured for the production of polyurethanes, a class of polymers.
The haloalkanes are alkanes containing one or more halogen substituents. They are a subset of the general class of halocarbons, although the distinction is not often made. Haloalkanes are widely used commercially. They are used as flame retardants, fire extinguishants, refrigerants, propellants, solvents, and pharmaceuticals. Subsequent to the widespread use in commerce, many halocarbons have also been shown to be serious pollutants and toxins. For example, the chlorofluorocarbons have been shown to lead to ozone depletion. Methyl bromide is a controversial fumigant. Only haloalkanes that contain chlorine, bromine, and iodine are a threat to the ozone layer, but fluorinated volatile haloalkanes in theory may have activity as greenhouse gases. Methyl iodide, a naturally occurring substance, however, does not have ozone-depleting properties and the United States Environmental Protection Agency has designated the compound a non-ozone layer depleter. For more information, see Halomethane. Haloalkane or alkyl halides are the compounds which have the general formula "RX" where R is an alkyl or substituted alkyl group and X is a halogen.
Chloroform, or trichloromethane, is an organochloride with the formula CHCl3 and a common solvent. It is a volatile, colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to refrigerants and PTFE. Chloroform was once used as an inhalational anesthetic between the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. It is miscible with many solvents but it is only very slightly soluble in water.
Tetrahydrofuran (THF), or oxolane, is an organic compound with the formula (CH2)4O. The compound is classified as heterocyclic compound, specifically a cyclic ether. It is a colorless, water-miscible organic liquid with low viscosity. It is mainly used as a precursor to polymers. Being polar and having a wide liquid range, THF is a versatile solvent. It is an isomer of another solvent, butanone.
Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene or under the systematic name tetrachloroethene, and abbreviations such as perc, and PCE, is a chlorocarbon with the formula Cl2C=CCl2. It is a non-flammable, stable, colorless and heavy liquid widely used for dry cleaning of fabrics. It also has its uses as an effective automotive brake cleaner. It has a mild sweet, sharp odor, detectable by most people at a concentration of 50 ppm.
Chloromethane, also called methyl chloride, Refrigerant-40, R-40 or HCC 40, is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3Cl. One of the haloalkanes, it is a colorless, sweet-smelling, flammable gas. Methyl chloride is a crucial reagent in industrial chemistry, although it is rarely present in consumer products, and was formerly utilized as a refrigerant. Most chloromethane is biogenic.
The organic compound 1,1,1-trichloroethane, also known as methyl chloroform and chlorothene, is a chloroalkane with the chemical formula CH3CCl3. It is an isomer of 1,1,2-trichloroethane. A colourless and sweet-smelling liquid, it was once produced industrially in large quantities for use as a solvent. It is regulated by the Montreal Protocol as an ozone-depleting substance and as such use has declined since 1996. Trichloroethane should not be confused with the similar-sounding trichloroethene which is also commonly used as a solvent.
Hydrogen bromide is the inorganic compound with the formula HBr. It is a hydrogen halide consisting of hydrogen and bromine. A colorless gas, it dissolves in water, forming hydrobromic acid, which is saturated at 68.85% HBr by weight at room temperature. Aqueous solutions that are 47.6% HBr by mass form a constant-boiling azeotrope mixture that boils at 124.3 °C (255.7 °F). Boiling less concentrated solutions releases H2O until the constant-boiling mixture composition is reached.
Organochlorine chemistry is concerned with the properties of organochlorine compounds, or organochlorides, organic compounds containing at least one covalently bonded atom of chlorine. The chloroalkane class includes common examples. The wide structural variety and divergent chemical properties of organochlorides lead to a broad range of names, applications, and properties. Organochlorine compounds have wide use in many applications, though some are of profound environmental concern, with TCDD being one of the most notorious.
Diisopropyl ether is a secondary ether that is used as a solvent. It is a colorless liquid that is slightly soluble in water, but miscible with organic solvents. It is used as an extractant and an oxygenate gasoline additive. It is obtained industrially as a byproduct in the production of isopropanol by hydration of propylene. Diisopropyl ether is sometimes represented by the abbreviation DIPE.
Morpholine is an organic chemical compound having the chemical formula O(CH2CH2)2NH. This heterocycle features both amine and ether functional groups. Because of the amine, morpholine is a base; its conjugate acid is called morpholinium. For example, treating morpholine with hydrochloric acid generates the salt morpholinium chloride. It is a colorless liquid with a weak, ammonia- or fish-like odor. The naming of morpholine is attributed to Ludwig Knorr, who incorrectly believed it to be part of the structure of morphine.
tert-Butyl alcohol is the simplest tertiary alcohol, with a formula of (CH3)3COH (sometimes represented as t-BuOH). Its isomers are 1-butanol, isobutanol, and butan-2-ol. tert-Butyl alcohol is a colorless solid, which melts near room temperature and has a camphor-like odor. It is miscible with water, ethanol and diethyl ether.
Benzyl chloride, or α-chlorotoluene, is an organic compound with the formula C6H5CH2Cl. This colorless liquid is a reactive organochlorine compound that is a widely used chemical building block.
Dimethoxymethane, also called methylal, is a colorless flammable liquid with a low boiling point, low viscosity and excellent dissolving power. It has a chloroform-like odor and a pungent taste. It is the dimethyl acetal of formaldehyde. Dimethoxymethane is soluble in three parts water and miscible with most common organic solvents.
Bromochloromethane or methylene bromochloride and Halon 1011 is a mixed halomethane. It is a heavy low-viscosity liquid with refractive index 1.4808.
1-Bromopropane (n-propylbromide or nPB) is a bromoalkane with the chemical formula CH3CH2CH2Br. It is a colorless liquid that is used as a solvent. It has a characteristic hydrocarbon odor. Its industrial applications increased dramatically in the 21st century due to the phasing out of chlorofluorocarbons and chloroalkanes such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane under the Montreal Protocol.
Chloroacetyl chloride is a chlorinated acyl chloride. It is a bifunctional compound, making it a useful building block chemical.
Perchloromethyl mercaptan is the organosulfur compound with the formula CCl3SCl. It is mainly used as an intermediate for the synthesis of dyes and fungicides (captan, folpet). It is a colorless oil, although commercial samples are yellowish. It is insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. It has a foul, unbearable, acrid odor. Perchloromethyl mercaptan is the original name. The systematic name is trichloromethanesulfenyl chloride, because the compound is a sulfenyl chloride, not a mercaptan.
m-Xylylenediamine is an organic compound with the formula C6H4(CH2NH2)2. A colorless oily liquid, it is produced by hydrogenation of isophthalonitrile.
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