Nomenclature
CAS number: 67-66-3
Trichloromethane.
CHCl
3; mol wt 119.38.
C 10.06%, H 0.84%, Cl 89.09%.
Description and references
Improperly called “formyl trichloride”. From
the addition of sulfuric acid to acetone and bleaching powder: 2CH3COCH3 + 6CaOCl2.H2O → 2CHCl3 + (CH3COO)2Ca + 2Ca(OH)2 + 3CaCl2+ 6H2O. May also be prepd by carefully
controlled chlorination of methane: Faith,
Keyes & Clark's Industrial Chemicals, F. A. Lowenheim,
M. K. Moran, Eds. (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 4th ed., 1975) pp
266-269. Has been used as an anesthetic and in pharmaceutical preparations.
Toxicity data: H. F. Smyth et al., Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 23, 95 (1962); E.
T. Kimura et al., Toxicol. Appl.
Pharmacol. 19, 699 (1971). Review of toxicology:
L. R. Pohl, Rev. Biochem. Toxicol. 1, 79-108 (1979); of carcinogenic risk: IARC Monographs 20, 401-427 (1979);
of toxicology and human exposure: Toxicological
Profile for Chloroform (PB98-101140, 1997) 343 pp. Review: M. T. Holbrook in Kirk-Othmer
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology vol. 5 (John
Wiley & Sons, New York, 4th ed., 1993) pp 1051-1062.
Properties
Highly refractive, nonflammable, heavy, very volatile,
sweet-tasting liquid; characteristic odor. d2020 1.484. bp 61-62°. mp -63.5°. nD20 1.4476. Forms a constant boiling mixture with 7% alc, boiling at
59°. d 1.474-1.478 for
U.S.P. chloroform contg 0.5-1% ethanol as stabilizer. One ml
dissolves in about 200 ml water at 25°. Misc with alcohol, benzene,
ether, petr ether, carbon tetrachloride, carbon disulfide, oils.
Pure chloroform is light sensitive and reagent grade chloroform usually
contains 0.75% ethanol as stabilizer. Poisonous.
Protect from light and keep cool. LD50 (14 day) orally in rats: 2.18 ml/kg (Smyth); 0.9 ml/kg (Kimura).Derivative
Spirit of Chloroform.
Description and references
An alcoholic soln of chloroform contg 6% by
vol of chloroform, corresponding to 10.5% by wt, and ≈89% abs alcohol
by vol. Has been used as a carminative.
Properties
Colorless, clear liquid; chloroform odor. d ≈0.85.Caution
Potential symptoms of overexposure
are dizziness, mental dullness, nausea and confusion; headache, fatigue;
anesthesia; enlarged liver; direct contact may cause irritation to
eyes and skin. See NIOSH Pocket
Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997)
p 64. This substance is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen:
Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition (PB2005-104914, 2004) p III-54.Use
In the manuf of fluorocarbon-22. As a solvent for
fats, oils, rubber, alkaloids, waxes, gutta-percha, resins; as cleansing
agent; in fire extinguishers to lower the freezing temp of carbon
tetrachloride; in the rubber industry.