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A6343030

Ethylene oxide , 99.5% , 75-21-8

Synonym(s):
Ethylene oxide solution;Oxirane

CAS NO.:75-21-8

Empirical Formula: C2H4O

Molecular Weight: 44.05

MDL number: MFCD00014482

EINECS: 200-849-9

Update time: 2022-07-08

PRODUCT Properties

Melting point: −111 °C(lit.)
Boiling point: 10.7 °C(lit.)
Density  0.882 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)
vapor pressure  1095 mmHg at 20 °C
refractive index  n20/D 1.3597(lit.)
Flash point: <-17.7℃
storage temp.  2-8°C
form  Colorless gas
Odor Sweet odor detectable at 257 to 690 ppm
Merck  3802
BRN  102378
Exposure limits TLV-TWA 1.8 mg/m3 (1 ppm) (ACGIH), 0.18 mg/m3 (0.1 ppm), 5 ppm/10 min (NIOSH).
Dielectric constant 14.0(-4℃)
InChIKey IAYPIBMASNFSPL-UHFFFAOYSA-N
LogP -0.30

Description and Uses

Ethylene oxide (C2H4O) is a kind of cyclic ether with important industrial applications. Although it is highly toxic and dangerous for household application and consumers to use, it can be used for the manufacture of many important industrial and commercialized products as well as some chemicals and intermediates. For example, it is very useful in the production of detergents, thickeners, solvents, plastics, and many kinds of organic chemicals such as ethylene glycol, ethanolamines, simple and complex glycols, polyglycol ethers, and other compounds. It is also a commonly sterilization methods used in the healthcare industry. In addition, it can be used as an accelerator of maturation of tobacco leaves and fungicide, as well as the main component of thermobaric weapons (fuel-air explosives). In industry, it is generally manufactured through direct oxidation of ethylene. In low doses, it can be used as a pesticide and a sterilizing agent owing to its effect of causing DNA damage. However, this property also make it a potential carcinogen.

ethylene oxide structure

Fumigant for foodstuffs and textiles; to sterilize surgical instruments; agricultural fungicide. In organic syntheses, especially in the production of ethylene glycol. Starting material for the manufacture of acrylonitrile and nonionic surfactants.

Safety

Symbol(GHS) 
GHS02,GHS04,GHS05,GHS06,GHS08
Signal word  Danger
Hazard statements  H220-H230-H280-H301+H331-H314-H335-H336-H340-H350-H360FD-H372
Precautionary statements  P202-P210-P260-P280-P303+P361+P353-P304+P340+P310-P305+P351+P338
Hazard Codes  F+,T,F
Risk Statements  45-46-12-23-36/37/38-39/23/24/25-23/24/25-11-67-20-36/37-19-6
Safety Statements  53-45-36/37-16-24/25-23-26
RIDADR  UN 2037 2.3
OEB C
OEL TWA: <0.1 ppm (0.18 mg/m3), Ceiling: 5 ppm (9 mg/m3) [10-min/day]
WGK Germany  2
RTECS  KX2450000
4.5-31
Autoignition Temperature 429 °C
DOT Classification 2.3, Hazard Zone D (Gas poisonous by inhalation)
HazardClass  2.3
HS Code  29101000
Toxicity LD50 oral (rat) 72 mg/kg
LC50 inhal (rat) 800 ppm (1600 mg/m3)
PEL (OSHA) 1 ppm (2 mg/m3)
TLV-TWA (ACGIH) 1 ppm (2 mg/m3)
IDLA 800 ppm

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