Chemical Properties
yellow crystals with an almond odour
Uses
1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene is a benzene derivative and is used in biochemical research as a substrate for glutathione S-transferase.
Definition
ChEBI: A C-nitro compound that is chlorobenzene carrying a nitro substituent at each of the 2and 4-positions.
General Description
Pale yellow needles, almond odor.
Reactivity Profile
Self-reactive, [Halpern, Chem. and Eng. News, 29:2666(1951)]. The mixture of this compound with hydrazine hydrate caused a violent reaction.
Hazard
Toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and skin
absorption. Combustible. Upper explosive limit
22%. A skin irritant.
Health Hazard
TOXIC; inhalation, ingestion or skin contact with material may cause severe injury or death. Contact with molten substance may cause severe burns to skin and eyes. Avoid any skin contact. Effects of contact or inhalation may be delayed. Fire may 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. When heated, vapors may form explosive mixtures with air: indoors, outdoors and sewers explosion hazards. Contact with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Containers may explode when heated. Runoff may pollute waterways. Substance may be transported in a molten form.
Production Methods
Although chlorobenzene can be dinitrated directly, this results in unnecessary isomer problems. 4-Chloronitrobenzene is usually nitrated with mixed acid (35/65) at 60 ℃ to give the pure dinitro isomer. However, 2- chloronitrobenzene can be nitrated to produce 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene, together with ca. 10 wt % of the isomeric 2- chloro- 1,3-dinitrobenzene. This may be separated for disposal, but the mixed isomers are preferably used directly if tolerated by the end product (e.g., sulfur dyes).
Purification Methods
Usually it is recrystallised from EtOH or MeOH. It has also been crystallised from Et2O, *C6H6, *C6H6/pet ether or isopropyl alcohol. A preliminary purification step is to pass its solution in *benzene through an alumina column. It has also been purified by zone refining. It exists in three forms: one stable and two unstable. The stable form crystallises as yellow needles from Et2O, m 51o, b 315o/760mm with some decomposition, and is soluble in EtOH. A labile form also crystallises from Et2O, m 43o, and is more soluble in organic solvents. The second labile form has m 27o. [Hoffman & Dame, J Am Chem Soc 41 1015 1919, Welsh J Am Chem Soc 63 3276 1941, J Chem Soc 2476 1957, Beilstein 5 IV 744.]
