Chloromethane

(Redirected from Methyl chloride)
Jump to: navigation, search
Chloromethane
IUPAC name Chloromethane
Other names Monochloromethane, Methyl chloride, Artic, Freon 40, R 40, UN 1063
Identifiers
CAS number 74-87-3
PubChem 6327
EINECS number 200-817-4
ChEBI 36014
RTECS number PA6300000
SMILES CCl
InChI InChI=1/CH3Cl/c1-2/h1H3
Properties
Molecular formula CH3Cl
Molar mass 50.49 g/mol
Appearance Colorless gas with a faint sweet odor
Density 2.22 kg/m3 (0 °C)
Melting point

−97.7 °C (176 K)

Boiling point

-24.2 °C (249 K)

Solubility in water 5.325 g/l
log P 0.91
Vapor pressure 490 kPa (20 °C)
Structure
Molecular shape Tetrahedral
Hazards
EU classification Extremely flammable (F+), Harmful (Xn), Carc. Cat. 3
NFPA 704

4
2
0
 
R-phrases R10, R40, R48/20
S-phrases S9, S16, S33
Flash point -46 °C
Autoignition
temperature
625 °C
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox disclaimer and references

WikiDoc Resources for

Chloromethane

Articles

Most recent articles on Chloromethane

Most cited articles on Chloromethane

Review articles on Chloromethane

Articles on Chloromethane in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Chloromethane

Images of Chloromethane

Photos of Chloromethane

Podcasts & MP3s on Chloromethane

Videos on Chloromethane

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Chloromethane

Bandolier on Chloromethane

TRIP on Chloromethane

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Chloromethane at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Chloromethane

Clinical Trials on Chloromethane at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Chloromethane

NICE Guidance on Chloromethane

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Chloromethane

CDC on Chloromethane

Books

Books on Chloromethane

News

Chloromethane in the news

Be alerted to news on Chloromethane

News trends on Chloromethane

Commentary

Blogs on Chloromethane

Definitions

Definitions of Chloromethane

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Chloromethane

Discussion groups on Chloromethane

Patient Handouts on Chloromethane

Directions to Hospitals Treating Chloromethane

Risk calculators and risk factors for Chloromethane

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Chloromethane

Causes & Risk Factors for Chloromethane

Diagnostic studies for Chloromethane

Treatment of Chloromethane

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Chloromethane

International

Chloromethane en Espanol

Chloromethane en Francais

Business

Chloromethane in the Marketplace

Patents on Chloromethane

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Chloromethane


Overview

Chloromethane, also called Methyl chloride, or simply R-40 or HCC 40, is a chemical compound of the group of organic compounds called haloalkanes. It was once widely used as a refrigerant. It is a colorless extremely flammable gas with a slightly sweet odor, which is, however, detected at possibly toxic levels. Due to concerns about its toxicity, it is no longer present in consumer products.

Methyl chloride was first synthesized by the French chemists Jean-Baptiste Dumas and Eugene Peligot in 1835 by boiling a mixture of methanol, sulfuric acid, and sodium chloride. This method is similar to that used today.

Production

Large amounts of chloromethane are produced naturally in the oceans by the action of sunlight on biomass and chlorine in sea foam. However, all chloromethane that is used in industry is produced synthetically.

Most chloromethane is prepared by reacting methanol with hydrogen chloride, according to the chemical equation

CH3OH + HCl → CH3Cl + H2O

This can be carried out either by bubbling hydrogen chloride gas through boiling methanol with or without a zinc chloride catalyst, or by passing combined methanol and hydrogen chloride vapors over an alumina catalyst at 350 °C.

A smaller amount of chloromethane is produced by heating a mixture of methane and chlorine to over 400 °C. However, this method also results in more highly chlorinated compounds such as methylene chloride and chloroform and is usually only used when these other products are also desired.

Further reaction of chloromethane with hydrochloric acid can produce dichloromethane, trichloromethane (known as chloroform) and tetrachloromethane (also known as carbon tetrachloride).

Uses

Formerly, chloromethane was a widely used refrigerant, but due to its toxicity this use has been discontinued. Chloromethane was also once used for producing lead-based additives for gasoline, but leaded gasoline has been phased out in most of the industrialized world (an important exception being the former Soviet Union).

The most important use of chloromethane today is as a chemical intermediate in the production of silicone polymers. Smaller quantities are used as a solvent in the manufacture of butyl rubber and in petroleum refining.

Chloromethane is also employed as a methylating and chlorinating agent in organic chemistry. It is also used in a variety of other fields: as an extractant for greases, oils and resins, as a propellant and blowing agent in polystyrene foam production, as a local anesthetic, as an intermediate in drug manufacturing, as a catalyst carrier in low temperature polymerization, as a fluid for thermometric and thermostatic equipment and as a herbicide.

Safety

Inhalation of methyl chloride gas produces central nervous system effects similar to intoxication. Victims may feel drowsy, dizzy, or confused and have difficulty breathing, with gasping and choking, walking or speaking. At higher concentrations, paralysis, seizures, and coma may result.

In case of ingestion nausea and vomiting may result. Skin contact when in the form of a refrigerated liquid may result in frostbite. Contact with eyes may result in dim vision, widely dilated pupils that react slowly to changes in light.

Chronic exposure to methyl chloride has been linked to birth defects in mice. In humans, exposure to methyl chloride during pregnancy may cause the fetus' lower spinal column, pelvis, and legs to form incorrectly, but this has not been conclusively proven.

In 1997, a re-investigation of Boston's Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire cited a methyl chloride leak from a refrigerator as a major cause of that disaster.

See also

External links

de:Chlormethanit:Clorometano lv:Hlormetāns nl:Methylchloridefi:Metyylikloridi


Navigation WikiDoc | WikiPatient | Popular pages | Recently Edited Pages | Recently Added Pictures

Table of Contents In Alphabetical Order | By Individual Diseases | Signs and Symptoms | Physical Examination | Lab Tests | Drugs

Editor Tools Become an Editor | Editors Help Menu | Create a Page | Edit a Page | Upload a Picture or File | Printable version | Permanent link | Maintain Pages | What Pages Link Here
There is no pharmaceutical or device industry support for this site and we need your viewer supported Donations | Editorial Board | Governance | Licensing | Disclaimers | Avoid Plagiarism | Policies
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Toolbox
In other languages
{"cc_re__cc_re__cc_by_sa_3_0": ["and <a href=\"/index.php/User:Alexandra_Almonacid_E.\" title=\"User:Alexandra Almonacid E.\">Alexandra Almonacid</a>, wikidoc user <a href=\"/index.php/User:LBiller\" title=\"User:LBiller\">LBiller</a> and wikidoc anonymous users <a href=\"/index.php/Special:Contributions/Naerii\" title=\"Special:Contributions/Naerii\">Naerii</a> and <a href=\"/index.php/Special:Contributions/RobDe68\" title=\"Special:Contributions/RobDe68\">RobDe68</a>.</li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li id=\"footer-info-copyright\">Content is available under <a class=\"external\" href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License</a>.</li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t</ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"footer-places\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li id=\"footer-places-privacy\"><a href=\"/index.php/wikidoc:Privacy_policy\" title=\"wikidoc:Privacy policy\">Privacy policy</a></li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li id=\"footer-places-about\"><a href=\"/index.php/wikidoc:About\" title=\"wikidoc:About\">About wikidoc</a></li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li id=\"footer-places-disclaimer\"><a href=\"/index.php/wikidoc:General_disclaimer\" title=\"wikidoc:General disclaimer\">Discla", "id=\"footer-places-privacy\"><a href=\"/index.php/wikidoc:Privacy_policy\" title=\"wikidoc:Privacy policy\">Privacy policy</a></li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li id=\"footer-places-about\"><a href=\"/index.php/wikidoc:About\" title=\"wikidoc:About\">About wikidoc</a></li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li id=\"footer-places-disclaimer\"><a href=\"/index.php/wikidoc:General_disclaimer\" title=\"wikidoc:General disclaimer\">Disclaimers</a></li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t</ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"footer-icons\" class=\"noprint\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<li id=\"footer-copyrightico\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/\"><img src=\"http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-sa/3.0/80x15.png\" alt=\"Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License\" width=\"88\" height=\"31\" /></a>\n\t\t\t\t\t</li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<li id=\"footer-poweredbyico\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"//www.mediawiki.org/\"><img src=\"/skins/common/images/poweredby_mediawiki_88x31.png\" alt=\"Powered by MediaWiki\" width=\"88\" height=\"31\" /></a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Semantic_MediaWiki\"><img src=\"/extensions/SemanticMediaWiki/skins/images/smw_button.png\" alt=\"Pow"], "copyright__copyright__copyright": ["", "al Examination | Lab Tests | Drugs\n\nEditor Tools Become an Editor | Editors Help Menu | Create a Page | Edit a Page | Upload a Picture or File | Printable version | Permanent link | Maintain Pages | What Pages Link Here\nThere is no pharmaceutical or device industry support for this site and we need your viewer supported Donations | Editorial Board | Governance | Licensing | Disclaimers | Avoid Plagiarism | Policies\nPersonal tools\nNamespaces\n\nVariants\nActions\nNavigation\nToolbox\nIn other languages", "al Examination | Lab Tests | Drugs\n\nEditor Tools Become an Editor | Editors Help Menu | Create a Page | Edit a Page | Upload a Picture or File | Printable version | Permanent link | Maintain Pages | What Pages Link Here\nThere is no pharmaceutical or device industry support for this site and we need your viewer supported Donations | Editorial Board | Governance | Licensing | Disclaimers | Avoid Plagiarism | Policies\nPersonal tools\nNamespaces\n\nVariants\nActions\nNavigation\nToolbox\nIn other languages"]}