General Description
A colorless liquid. Insoluble in water and denser than water. Contact may slightly irritate skin, eyes and mucous membranes. May be toxic by ingestion. Used to make other chemicals.
Reactivity Profile
A halogenated ester. Esters react with acids to liberate heat along with alcohols and acids. Strong oxidizing acids may cause a vigorous reaction that is sufficiently exothermic to ignite the reaction products. Heat is also generated by the interaction of esters with caustic solutions. Flammable hydrogen is generated by mixing esters with alkali metals and hydrides. A mixture of the ester and trimethylamine reacted violently. Polymerization of a reactive dehydrochlorination of the ester was viewed as the most likely product, along with generous amounts of heat.
Air & Water Reactions
Insoluble in water.
Health Hazard
TOXIC; inhalation, ingestion or contact (skin, eyes) with vapors, dusts or substance may cause severe injury, burns or death. Contact with molten substance may cause severe burns to skin and eyes. Reaction with water or moist air will release toxic, corrosive or flammable gases. Reaction with water may generate much heat that will increase the concentration of fumes in the air. Fire will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may be corrosive and/or toxic and cause pollution.
Fire Hazard
Combustible material: may burn but does not ignite readily. Substance will react with water (some violently) releasing flammable, toxic or corrosive gases and runoff. When heated, vapors may form explosive mixtures with air: indoors, outdoors and sewers explosion hazards. Most vapors are heavier than air. They will spread along ground and collect in low or confined areas (sewers, basements, tanks). Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back. Contact with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Containers may explode when heated or if contaminated with water.
Chemical Properties
Colorless clear liquid
Uses
Methyl trichloroacetate was used for negative staining of protein that allowed unmodified proteins to be recovered for biological studies or transblot for amino acid sequence.
Reactions
methyl trichloroacetate reacts with sodium methoxide then the formed product is carbine.
