General Description
A dark brown liquid with an aromatic odor. Insoluble in water and less dense than water. Flash point between 140-175°F. Contact may irritate skin, eyes and mucous membranes. May be toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin absorption.
Reactivity Profile
2-ETHYL HEXANOL(104-76-7) is an alcohol. Flammable and/or toxic gases are generated by the combination of alcohols with alkali metals, nitrides, and strong reducing agents. They react with oxoacids and carboxylic acids to form esters plus water. Oxidizing agents convert them to aldehydes or ketones. Alcohols exhibit both weak acid and weak base behavior. They may initiate the polymerization of isocyanates and epoxides. This compound is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents and strong acids.
Air & Water Reactions
Insoluble in water.
Health Hazard
Anesthesia, nausea, headache, dizziness; mildly irritating to skin and eyes.
Fire Hazard
This chemical is combustible.
Chemical Properties
2-Ethyl-1-hexanol has a mild, oily, sweet, slightly floral odor reminiscent of rose and sweet, fatty-floral taste with a
fruity note
Chemical Properties
2-Ethylhexanol is a clear, colorless liquid.
Chemical Properties
colourless liquid
Occurrence
Reported found in papaya, peach, pear, blackberry, strawberry, cabbage, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese,
butter, roasted chicken, cognac, sherry, grape wines, tea, avocado, kiwifruit, crab and clam.
Uses
2-Ethylhexanol is the most important C8 alcohol and is used
mainly in manufacturing plasticizers. Other minor uses
include the manufacturing of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, as a
dispersing agent and wetting agent, as a solvent for gums
and resins, as a cosolvent for nitrocellulose, and in ceramics,
paper coatings, rubber latex, textiles, and fragrances.
Application
2-Ethyl-1-hexanol is suitable for use in a study to compare its susceptibilities of dynamic heat capacity and dielectric polarization under isothermal conditions. It may be used to study lipase-catalyzed transesterification (alcoholysis) of rapeseed oil and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in the absence of solvent. 2-Ethyl-1-hexanol may be used in broadband dielectric spectroscopy studies of the polyalcohols-glycerol, xylitol and sorbitol. It may be used in the preparation of porous beads.
Definition
ChEBI: 2-Ethylhexanol is a primary alcohol that is hexan-1-ol substituted by an ethyl group at position 2. It has a role as a volatile oil component and a plant metabolite.
Preparation
2-ethylhexanol synthesis: Condensation of acetaldehyde into butanol aldehyde, dehydration to obtain crotonaldehyde, hydrogenation to n-butyraldehyde, condensation dehydration to obtain 2-ethyl-2-hexenal, and then hydrogenation to obtain 2-ethylhexanol.
Chemical Reactivity
Reactivity with Water No reaction; Reactivity with Common Materials: No reactions; Stability During Transport: Stable; Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics: Not pertinent; Polymerization: Not pertinent; Inhibitor of Polymerization: Not pertinent.
Synthesis
By hydrogenation of aldehydes obtained by the oxo process; also synthesized from propylene; by catalytic reduction of
2-ethyl-2-hexenal and other similar patented processes.
Carcinogenicity
Male and female F344 rats
were dosed by oral gavage with 0, 50, 150, or 500 mg/kg
2-ethylhexanol (0.005% in aqueous Cremophor EL, a polyoxyl
35 castor oil), 5 days/week for 2 years. There were no
differences of biological importance between the vehicle
control and a water control group that was included in the
study. There was no evidence of treatment-related neoplastic
lesions in any of the exposed groups.
