Chemical Properties
brown liquid
Uses
Reagent used in the preparation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, dyes and pesticides.
General Description
Dark brown liquid.
Air & Water Reactions
Slightly soluble in water.
Reactivity Profile
2,3-Dimethylaniline reacts with strong oxidizing agents and hypochlorite bleaches . Neutralizes acids in exothermic reactions to form salts plus water. May be incompatible with isocyanates, halogenated organics, peroxides, phenols (acidic), epoxides, anhydrides, and acid halides. Flammable gaseous hydrogen may be generated in combination with strong reducing agents, such as hydrides.
Fire Hazard
2,3-Dimethylaniline is combustible.
Safety Profile
A poison. Moderately
toxic by ingestion. Mutation data reported.
When heated to decomposition it emits
toxic fumes of NOx. See also other xylidine
entries.
Purification Methods
Purify vic-xylidine by conversion into a derivative (see below), recrystallise the derivative, decompose the derivative with aqueous NaOH and fractionally distil the liquid base. The acetyl derivative has m 135o (from EtOH), and the formyl derivative has m 102o (from EtOH). [Beilstein 12 H 1101, 12 III 2438, 12 IV 2497.]
