6038. 2-Methoxyethanol

Nomenclature

CAS number: 109-86-4
Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether; Methyl Cellosolve (Union Carbide).
C3H8O2; mol wt 76.09.
C 47.35%, H 10.60%, O 42.05%.

Description and references

Prepn from ethylene oxide + methanol: Finch, Hagemeyer, US 2748171 (1956 to Kodak); from ethylene glycol + diazomethane: Hesse, Majumdar, Ber. 93, 1129 (1960) DOI. Toxicity data: Smyth, J. Ind. Hyg. Toxicol. 23, 259 (1941); Werner, ibid. 25, 157 (1943). Series of articles on toxicology: Environ. Health Perspect. 57, 1-275 (1984) DOI PubMed.

Chemical structure

Properties

Liquid. Poisonous; flammable. bp760 124.43°; bp20 34-41°. d420 0.9663. Flash pt 115°F. nD20 1.4028. Miscible with water, alcohol ether, glycerol, acetone, dimethylformamide. LD50 in rats, guinea pigs (mg/kg): 2460, 950 orally (Smyth). LC50 (7 hr in air) in mice: 4.6 mg/l (Werner).

Caution

Potential symptoms of overexposure are irritation of eyes, nose, throat; headache, drowsiness, lassitude; ataxia, tremor; anemic pallor. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 2005-149, 2005) p 202.

Use

Solvent for low-viscosity cellulose acetate, natural resins, some synthetic resins and some alcohol-soluble dyes; in dyeing leather, sealing moistureproof cellophane; in nail polishes, quick-drying varnishes and enamels, wood stains. In modified Karl Fischer reagent: Peters, Jungnickel, Anal. Chem. 27, 450 (1955) DOI.