General Description
Liquid; colorless to pale yellow; sharp, unpleasant odor. May float or sink in water.
Reactivity Profile
The explosive instability of the lower dialkyl peroxides (e.g., dimethyl peroxide) and 1,1-bis-peroxides decreases rapidly with increasing chain length and degree of branching, the di-tert-alkyl derivatives being amongst the most stable class of peroxides. Though many 1,1-bis-peroxides have been reported, few have been purified because of the higher explosion hazards compared with the monofunctional peroxides. 3,5-Diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide is unlikely that this derivative would be particularly unstable compared to other peroxides in it's class, [Bretherick 2nd ed., p 44 1979].
Health Hazard
VAPOR: Irritating to eyes, nose and throat. If inhaled will cause coughing or difficult breathing. LIQUID: Irritating to skin and eyes. Harmful if swallowed.
Fire Hazard
Combustible. Will increase the intensity of a fire. May cause fire on contact with combustibles. Containers may explode in fire. Flammable alcohol and ketone gases are formed in fire. Burns with a flare effect. Containers may explode.
Chemical Properties
Diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide is a clear, yellow liquid.
Major decomposition products include methane, 3-isopropylacetophenone,
3-(2-hydroxyisopropyl) isopropyl-benzene.
The standard packaging is a 25 L HDPE can for 25 kg peroxide solution or a 220 L HDPE drum for 200 kg
peroxide solution.DBHP may be used in mass, emulsion, and
solvent (co)polymerizations of styrene, butadiene, acrylonitrile,
acrylates, and methacrylates. In emulsion processes,
DBHP my be activated by water-soluble as well as oilsoluble
reducing agents or by metal compounds to achieve
reproducible polymerization at room temperature or lower.
DBHP is particularly suited for the cold emulsion polymerization
of rubber latexes.
Uses
3,5-Diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide is used as a polymerization initiator for styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), with an initiation rate 30%–50% faster than cumene hydroperoxide, but slower than tricumene hydroperoxide and tert-butyl cumene hydroperoxide. It can also be used as an initiator for other polymers. Contact with skin can cause burns.
