General Description
A yellow liquid with a weak aromatic odor. Toxic. Insoluble in water. Combustible but may take some effort to ignite. Produces toxic oxides of nitrogen when burned. In a spill, immediate steps should be taken to limit its spread to the environment. Can easily penetrate the soil and contaminate groundwater or nearby streams. Used to make other chemicals.
Reactivity Profile
P-NITROTOLUENE(99-99-0) may react violently with sodium, tetranitromethane, strong oxidizing agents , sulfuric acid and other acids.
Air & Water Reactions
Insoluble in water.
Hazard
Toxic by inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption. Methemoglobinemia. Questionable carcinogen.
Health Hazard
INHALATION, INGESTION, OR SKIN: Headache, flushed face, dizziness, dyspnea (difficult breathing), cyanosis, nausea, vomiting, muscular weakness, rapid pulse and respiration, irritability, and convulsions.
Potential Exposure
The nitrotoluenes are used in the
production of toluidines and other dye intermediates.
All isomers are used in manufacture of agriculture and
rubber chemicals and in various dyes.
Fire Hazard
Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Yields toxic oxides of nitrogen when burning.
First aid
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.
Shipping
UN1664 Nitrotoluenes, (o-; m-; p-), Hazard
Class: 6.1; Labels: 6.1-Poisonous materials.
Incompatibilities
Decomposes on contact with strong oxidizers;
strong acids; reducing agents; strong bases; ammonia,
amines producing toxic fumes, causing fire and explosion
hazard. Heat above 190C may cause explosive decomposition.
Attacks some plastics, rubbers, and coatings.
Chemical Properties
light yellow crystals
Chemical Properties
Nitrotoluene is formed in 3 isomeric forms.
The o-and m-forms are yellow liquids or solids. The p-form
is a pale yellow crystalline solid. All have weak aromatic
odors. The Odor Thresholds are: 0.05 mg/L (o-isomer);
1.74 ppm (m-isomer).
Waste Disposal
Controlled incineration-care
must be taken to maintain complete combustion at all
times. Incineration of large quantities may require scrubbers
to control the emission of nitrogen oxides.
Uses
4-Nitrotoluene is an explosive material.
Uses
manufacture of dyes, toluidines, nitrobenzoic acids, agricultural and rubber chemicals.
Uses
used in the synthesis of
dyestuffs, explosives, and agricultural chemicals
Definition
ChEBI: 4-nitrotoluene is a mononitrotoluene that consists of toluene bearing a nitro substituent at the 4-position.
Production Methods
After distillation of the meta fraction from the isomer mixture, the still residues are cooled in a crystallizer to separate technical quality 4-nitrotoluene. Further distillation of nitrotoluene residues and fractions should be implemented with great care because this has been reported to cause explosions.
Environmental Fate
Biological. Under anaerobic conditions using a sewage inoculum, 3- and 4-nitrotoluene both
degraded to toluidine (Hallas and Alexander, 1983). Robertson et al. (1992) reported that toluene
dioxygenases from Pseudomonas putida F1 and Pseudomonas sp. Strain JS 150 oxidized the
methyl group forming 2-methyl-5-nitrophenol and 3-methyl-6-nitrocatechol.
Chemical. Though no products were identified, 4-nitrotoluene (1.5 x 10-5 M) was reduced by
iron metal (33.3 g/L acid washed 18 to 20 mesh) in a carbonate buffer (1.5 x 10-2 M) at pH 5.9 and
15 °C. Based on the pseudo-first-order disappearance rate of 0.0335/min, the half-life was 20.7
min (Agrawal and Tratnyek, 1996).
Purification Methods
Dry it in air, then dry it in a vacuum desiccator over H2SO4. [Wright & Grilliom J Am Chem Soc 108 2340 1986, Beilstein 5 IV 848.]
