111-76-2

2-Butoxyethanol is a clear colorless liquid with an ether-like smell and belongs to the fam ily of glycol ether/alkoxy alcohol. 2-Butoxyethanol is miscible in water and soluble in most organic solvents. 2-Butoxyethanol does not occur naturally. It is usually produced by reacting ethylene oxide with butyl alcohol. It is used as a solvent for nitrocellulose, natural and synthetic resins, soluble oils, in surface coatings, spray lacquers, enamels, varnishes, and latex paints, as an ingredient in paint thinners, quick-dry lacquers, latex paint, and strippers, varnish removers, and herbicides. 2-Butoxyethanol is also used in textile dyeing and printing, in the treatment of leather, in the production of plasticizers, as a stabilizer in metal cleaners and household cleaners, and in hydraulic fl uids, insecticides, herbicides, and rust removers. It is also used as an ingredient in liquid soaps, cosmetics, industrial and household cleaners, dry-cleaning compounds, and as an ingredient in silicon caulks, cutting oils, and hydraulic fl uids. 2-Butoxyethanol is a fi re hazard when exposed to heat, sparks, or open flames

A colorless liquid with a mild, pleasant odor. Less dense than water. Flash point 160°F. Irritates skin and eyes and may be toxic by ingestion. Used as a solvent and to make paints and varnish.

ETHYLENE GLYCOL N-BUTYL ETHER may react with bases, aluminum and oxidizing materials. ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOBUTYL ETHER(111-76-2) is liable to form peroxides on exposure to air and light. ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOBUTYL ETHER(111-76-2) attacks some forms of plastics, rubber and coatings. .

This chemical is sensitive to air and light. Slightly soluble in water.

A toxic material. Eye and upper respiratory tract irritant. Questionable carcinogen.

2-Butoxyethanol is present in a variety of consumer products, including cleaning agents and surface coatings, such as paints, lacquers, and varnishes. 2-Butoxyethanol is readily absorbed following inhalation, oral, and dermal exposure. 2-Butoxyethanol is released into air or water by different industrial activities and facilities that manu facture, process, or use the chemical. Exposure to 2-butoxyethanol causes irritating effects to the eyes and skin, but it has not induced skin sensitization in guinea pigs. Information on the human health effects associated with exposure to 2-butoxyethanol is limited. However, case studies of individuals who had attempted suicide by ingest ing 2-butoxyethanol-containing cleaning solutions suffered poisoning with symp toms such as hemoglobinuria, erythropenia, and hypotension, metabolic acidosis, shock, non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, and albuminuria, hepatic disorders and hematuria.

Vapors irritate eyes and nose. Ingestion or skin contact causes headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness.

2-Butoxy ethanol is a colorless liquid with a mild, ether like odor. Molecular weight 5 118.20; Specific gravity (H2O:1) 5 0.90; boiling point 5 171C; freezing/ melting point 5 274.8C; vapor pressure 5 0.8 mmHg @ 20C; Relative vapor density (air 5 1) 5 4.1; Flash point = 61C (cc); Autoignition temperature = 238C

Combustible material: may burn but does not ignite readily. Containers may explode when heated. Runoff may pollute waterways. Substance may be transported in a molten form.

If this chemical gets into the eyes, remove any contact lenses at once and irrigate immediately for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek medical attention immediately. If this chemical contacts the skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash immediately with soap and water. Seek medical attention immediately. If this chemical has been inhaled, remove from exposure, begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions, including resuscitation mask) if breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. Transfer promptly to a medical facility. When this chemical has been swallowed, get medical attention. Give large quantities of water and induce vomiting. Do not make an unconscious person vomit. Medical observation is recommended for 24 to 48 hours after breathing overexposure, as pulmonary edema may be delayed. As first aid for pulmonary edema, a doctor or authorized paramedic may consider administering a drug or other inhalation therapy

May form explosive mixture with air. Can form unstable and explosive peroxides; check for peroxides prior to distillation; render harmless if positive. Decomposes, producing toxic fumes. Violent reaction with strong caustics and strong oxidizers. Attacks some coatings, plastics and rubber. Attacks metallic aluminum at high temperatures.

Clear, colorless, oily liquid with a mild, ether-like odor. Experimentally determined detection and recognition odor threshold concentrations were 500 μg/m³ (100 ppb_v) and 1.7 mg/m³ (350 ppb_v), respectively (Hellman and Small, 1974). An odor threshold concentration of 580 ppb_v was reported by Nagata and Takeuchi (1990).

Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EGBE) is used as a solvent for nitrocellulose, resins, oil, and grease, and in dry cleaning.

Ethylene glycol n-butyl ether (EB) is used widely as a coupling solvent because of its superior coupling efficiency and excellent solvency for resins.

Solvent for nitrocellulose, resins, grease, oil, albumin; dry cleaning.

ChEBI: 2-butoxyethanol is a primary alcohol that is ethanol in which one of the methyl hydrogens is replaced by a butoxy group. A high-boiling (171℃) colourless liquid, it is used as a solvent for paints and inks, as well as in some dry cleaning solutions. It has a role as a protic solvent. It is a primary alcohol and a glycol ether.

The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 45, p. 1095, 1980 DOI: 10.1021/jo01294a034

Reactivity with Water No reaction; Reactivity with Common Materials: No reaction; Stability During Transport: Stable; Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics: Not pertinent; Polymerization: Not pertinent; Inhibitor of Polymerization: Not pertinent.

Biological. Bridié et al. (1979) reported BOD and COD values of 0.71 and 2.20 g/g using filtered effluent from a biological sanitary waste treatment plant. These values were determined using a standard dilution method at 20 °C for a period of 5 d. When a sewage seed was used in a separate screening test, a BOD value of 0.20 g/g was obtained. The ThOD for 2-butoxyethanol is 2.31 g/g.
Chemical/Physical. At an influent concentration of 1,000 mg/L, treatment with GAC resulted in an effluent concentration of 441 mg/L. The adsorbability of the carbon used was 112 mg/g carbon (Guisti et al., 1974).

Toxic, liquids, organic, n.o.s., or Ethylene glycolmonobutyl ether require a shipping label of “POISONOUS/TOXIC MATERIALS.” It falls in Hazard Class 6.1 andPacking Group III.

Peroxides can be removed by refluxing with anhydrous SnCl2 or by passage under slight pressure through a column of activated alumina. Dry with anhydrous K2CO3 and CaSO4, filter and distil, or reflux with, and distil from NaOH. [Beilstein 1 IV 2380.]

The principal toxicological effect observed upon overexposure to EGBE is the destruction of red blood cells (RBCs) (i.e., hemolysis). BAA, the predominant oxidative metabolite of EGBE, appears responsible for this hemolytic activity. It has been speculated that BAA may interact with RBC membranes, disrupting erythrocyte osmotic balance, leading to cellular swelling, loss of deformability, and eventually hemolysis. In studies with male rats, treatment with alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitors protected against EGBE-induced hematotoxicity and inhibited EGBE metabolism to BAA. Another event in the sequelae following EGBE exposures is compensatory erythropoiesis, where as a response to the loss of erythrocytes, the bone marrow increases production of young RBCs.
In vitro studies have indicated that the RBCs of rats, mice, rabbits, and baboons are susceptible to hemolysis by BAA, whereas blood from pigs, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and humans are resistant. A number of other studies have confirmed these results in vitro, in RBCs from a large cross-section of the human population, including those with hereditary red cell disease (i.e., sickle cell and spherocytosis) and the aged. These studies indicate that human cells are not as susceptible to hemolysis as rat cells tested under similar conditions. These findings suggest that humans exposed to equivalent doses of EGBE would not be expected to exhibit the same spectrum or severity of hematotoxic-related effects as those produced in rats. In vitro experimental results also suggest that RBCs are more sensitive to hemolysis by BAA than to hemolysis by EGBE.

EGBE is destroyed by burning in an incinerator. In the laboratory, small amounts may be disposed of in the sink with a large volume of water.