2083. Chlordecone

Nomenclature

CAS number: 143-50-0
1,1a,3,3a,4,5,5,5a,5b,6-Decachlorooctahydro-1,3,4-metheno-2H-cyclobuta[cd]pentalen-2-one; GC-1189; Kepone (Allied Chemical).
C10Cl10O; mol wt 490.64.
C 24.48%, Cl 72.26%, O 3.26%.

Description and references

Prepn: Gilbert, Giolito, US 2616825 and US 2616928 (1952 to Allied Chem.); reissued as US RE 24435 (1958). Structure: McBee et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 78, 1511 (1956). Review: Ungnade, McBee, Chem. Rev. 58, 249-320 (1958). Toxicity data: T. B. Gaines, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 14, 515 (1969). Occupational exposure: Chem. Eng. News 54, 19 (Feb. 2, 1976). Comparative toxicity in man and animals: P. S. Guzelian, Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 22, 89-113 (1982). Review of toxicology and human exposure: Toxicological Profile for Mirex and Chlordecone (PB95-264354, 1995) 362 pp.

Chemical structure

Properties

Crystals, dec 350°. Slightly sol in water and hydrocarbon solvents. Sol in alcohols, ketones, acetic acid. LD50 orally in rats: 125 mg/kg (Gaines).

Caution

Potential symptoms of overexposure are headache, nervousness, tremor; liver and kidney damage; visual disturbances; ataxia, chest pain, skin erythema; testicular atrophy, low sperm count. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p 184. See also Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology vol. 2B, G. D. Clayton, F. E. Clayton, Eds. (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 4th ed., 1994) 1504-1506, 1545-1550. This substance is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen: Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition (PB2005-104914, 2004) p III-158.

Use

Formerly as insecticide, fungicide.