Nomenclature
CAS number: 74-87-3
Chloromethane; Freon 40.
CH
3Cl; mol wt 50.49.
C 23.79%, H 5.99%, Cl 70.22%.
Description and references
Known as early as 1835, large scale production
started in 1920's. Review of mfg processes: Faith, Keyes & Clark's Industrial Chemicals, F. A.
Lowenheim, M. K. Moran, Eds. (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 4th ed.,
1975) pp 530-538. GC-MS determn in air: D. R. Cronn, D. E. Harsch, Anal. Lett. 9, 1015 (1976). X-ray
emission study: D. W. Lindle et al., Phys. Rev. A 43, 2353 (1991). Review: M. T. Holbrook in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia
of Chemical Technology vol. 5 (Wiley-Interscience,
New York, 4th ed., 1993) pp 1028-1040. Review of toxicology: J.
D. Repko, S. M. Lasley, Crit. Rev. Toxicol. 6, 283-302 (1979); and human exposure: Toxicological Profile for Chloromethane (PB99-121964,
1998) 288 pp.
Properties
Colorless gas of mild odor and sweet taste. mp 97.7°; bp 23.7°; nD (liq at 23.7°) 1.3712. Flammable. Slightly
sol in water; misc with chloroform, ether, glacial acetic acid; sol
in alcohol. Soly at 20° (ml/100 ml): benzene 4723; carbon tetrachloride
3756; glacial acetic acid 3679; ethanol 3740; at 25° (g/100g): water
0.48.Caution
Potential symptoms of overexposure
are dizziness, nausea and vomiting; visual disturbance; staggering;
slurred speech; convulsions, coma; liver and kidney damage; reproductive
and teratogenic effects; direct contact with liquid may cause frostbite.
Potential occupational carcinogen. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH
97-140, 1997) p 202. See also Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology vol. 2B, G. D. Clayton, F. E. Clayton, Eds. (Wiley-Interscience, New York,
3rd ed., 1981) pp 3436-3442.Use
Manuf of silicones, tetramethyleads. Solvent catalyst
for butyl rubber. Has been used as a refrigerant.