| Chemical Properties |
Colorless, high-boiling liquid; mild odor. Very stable at ordinary temperatures, compatible with many gums and resins, soluble in most organic solvents, miscible with water. When mixed with water is quite stable at room temperature, but at elevated temperatures it hydrolyzes slowly. Combustible. |
| Definition |
ChEBI: A trialkyl phosphate that is the triethy ester derivative of phosphoric acid. |
| Uses |
As ethylating agent; formation of polyesters which are used as insecticides. |
| General Description |
A colorless, corrosive liquid. Combustible. Slowly dissolves in water and sinks in water. Severely irritates skin, eyes and mucous membranes. |
| Air & Water Reactions |
Slowly dissolves in water with slight decomposition . |
| Reactivity Profile |
Organophosphates, such as Triethyl phosphate, are susceptible to formation of highly toxic and flammable phosphine gas in the presence of strong reducing agents such as hydrides. Partial oxidation by oxidizing agents may result in the release of toxic phosphorus oxides. |
| Health Hazard |
May be harmful by inhalation, ingestion or absorption. May cause irritation. |
| Fire Hazard |
Special Hazards of Combustion Products: May produce hazardous decomposition products such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and oxides of phosphorus. |
| Safety Profile |
Moderately toxic by ingestion, intraperitoneal, and intravenous routes. Experimental reproductive effects. Mutation data reported. Causes cholinesterase inhibition, but to a lesser extent than parathion. May be expected to cause nerve injury similar to that of other phosphate esters. Combustible when exposed to heat or flame. Can react vigorously with oxidizing materials. To fight fire, use CO2, dry chemical, alcohol foam. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of POx. See also PARATHION. |
| Purification Methods |
Dry the ester by refluxing it with solid BaO and then fractionally distil it under reduced pressure. It is kept over Na and distilled. Store it in the receiver protected from light and moisture. Alternatively it is dried over Na2SO4 and distilled under reduced pressure. The middle fraction is stirred for several weeks over anhydrous Na2SO4 and again fractionated under reduced pressure until the specific conductance reaches a constant low value of 25 1.19 x 108, 40 1.68 x 108, and 55 2.89 x 108 ohm-1 cm. It has also been fractionated carefully under reduced pressure through a glass helices-packed column. It is soluble in EtOH, Et2O and H2O (dec). [Estok & Wendlandt J Am Chem Soc 77 4767 1955, Hoffmann et al. J Am Chem Soc 78 6413 1956, (P NMR) Muller et al. J Am Chem Soc 78 3557 1956, French et al. J Chem Soc 3582 1959, IR: Bellamy & Beecher J Chem Soc 475 1952 and McIvor Can J Chem 36 820 1958, Kosolapoff Organophosphorus Compounds, Wiley p 258 1950, Beilstein 1 IV 1339.] |
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