1129. Benzyl Chloride

Nomenclature

CAS number: 100-44-7
(Chloromethyl)benzene; α-chlorotoluene.
C7H7Cl; mol wt 126.58.
C 66.42%, H 5.57%, Cl 28.01%.

Description and references

Made by cautious chlorination of toluene: A. I. Vogel, Practical Organic Chemistry (Longmans, London, 3rd ed., 1959) p 538; Gattermann-Wieland, Praxis des Organischen Chemikers (de Gruyter, Berlin, 40th ed., 1961) p 92. Manuf: Faith, Keyes & Clark's Industrial Chemicals, F. A. Lowenheim, M. K. Moran, Eds. (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 4th ed., 1975) pp 145-148.

Chemical structure

Properties

Very refractive liquid; rather unpleasant, irritating odor. d2020 1.100. bp 179°. mp -48 to -43°. nD15 1.5415. Poisonous, corrosive. Insol in water. Miscible with alcohol, chloroform, ether. Rapidly dec when heated in the presence of iron.

Caution

Potential symptoms of overexposure are irritation of eyes, skin and nose; weakness; irritability; headache; skin eruption; pulmonary edema. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p 28.

Use

Manuf benzyl compds, perfumes, pharmaceutical products, dyes, synthetic tannins, artificial resins.