DIMETHYL TEREPHTHALATE

PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

CAS NO.

120-61-6

DIMETHYL TEREPHTHALATE

EINECS NO. 204-411-8
FORMULA C6H4(COOCH3)2
MOL WT. 194.19

H.S. CODE

2917.37
DERIVATION

 

TOXICITY Oral rat LD50: > 3200 mg/kg
SYNONYMS Terephthalic acid methyl ester; DMT;
Methyl Terephthalate; Dimethyl-p-phthalate; D.M.T.; 1,4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, dimethyl ester; Di-Me terephthalate; Dimethylester kyseliny tereftalove; Methyl 4-carbomethoxybenzoate; Methyl-p-(methoxycarbonyl)benzoate; Dimethyl 4-phthalate; Dimethyl ester of 1,4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid; Dimethyl-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate;

CLASSIFICATION

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Phthalic Acid, also called Benzenedicarboxylic Acid with formula C6H4(COOH)2, is the name of any of three isomers.  The ortho form (1,2-benzenecarboxylic acid) is called simply phthalic acid. It is a white crystals decomposing at 191°C and slightly soluble in water and ether. This compound is mainly  produced and marketed in the form of its anhydride produced by the oxidation of orthoxylene and naphthalene. Its wide application is based on the ortho related carboxylic acid groups as their dehydration is highly reactive with broad processing conditions to produce various downstream products. It is used to make simple esters widely used as plasticizers. It is used as in making unsaturated polyester resins, alkyd resins, polyester polyols, dyes and pigments, halogenated anhydrides, polyetherimide resins, isatoic anhydride and insect repellents. The meta form is isophthalic acid (1,3-benzenecarboxylic acid). It is a white crystals subliming at 345°C slightly soluble in water, alcohol and acetic acid (insoluble in benzene). It is obtained by oxidizing meta-xylene with chromic acid, or by fusing potassium meta-sulphobenzoate, or meta-brombenzoate with potassium formate. IPA has excellent performance characteristics in coatings including excellent hardness, corrosion and stain resistance, hydrolytic stability of coatings and gel coats, excellent thermal stability and low resin color. It is a key ingredient in FRP markets for such products as marine, automotive, and corrosion resistant pipes and tanks. Polyesters containing isophthalic acid are also used extensively in industrial coatings applications for home appliances, automobiles, aluminum siding, and metal office furniture. It used as an intermediate for polyesters, polyurethane resins, plasticizers. The para form, known as terephthalic acid  (1,4-benzenecarboxylic acid) is a combustible white powder insoluble in water, alcohol and ether; (soluble in alkalies), sublimes at 300°C. It can be produced by oxidizing caraway oil, a mixture of cymene and cuminol or by oxidizing para-diderivatives of benzene with chromic acid. TPA has been used mainly as a raw material of polyester fiber but lately it has been exploited for various uses such as non-fiber field, PET-bottle, PET-film and engineering plastics and as poultry feed additives. Phthalic acid derivatives are also widely used to make dyes, medicine, and synthetic perfumes, pesticides, and other chemical compounds.

Dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) is an ester of terephthalic acid and methanol. DMT is a primary ingredient used in the manufacture of polyesters and industrial plastics. It is a building block for an assortment of products--from X-ray and video films to polyester fibers and electrical capacitors. It also is found in many automotive components, such as reinforcing beams, bumpers, windshield wiper blades, electrical systems, and hubcaps. DMT is an ideal choice for virtually any industrial plastics application. This compound is used as an intermediate of herbicides and a component of paints, ink and adhesives.

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

PHYSICAL STATE

White Flakes

MELTING POINT 140 - 142 C
BOILING POINT 288 C
SPECIFIC GRAVITY 1.2
SOLUBILITY IN WATER slightly soluble (soluble in hot alcohol and ether)
pH  
VAPOR DENSITY 5.5

AUTOIGNITION

518 C (subliming at > 300 C)

NFPA RATINGS

Health:1 Flammability:1 Reactivity:0

REFRACTIVE INDEX

 
FLASH POINT 153 C
STABILITY Stable under ordinary conditions.

APPLICATIONS

Polyester Film (Audio/Video Tape,X-ray Film,Photo Film), Polyester Fiber, Pet Bottle, Polyester Adhesive, Engineering Plastics.

SALES SPECIFICATION

APPEARANCE

White Flakes

APPEARANCE OF MELT

Clear and free from suspended matter

MELT COLOR, APHA

15max (Initial), 25max (Final)

ACID NUMBER

0.025 max ((mg KOH/g)

MELTING POINT

140 C

FREE ACIDITY (AS TPA)

0.01% max

IRON

1ppm max

TRANSPORTATION

PACKING 500kg, 700kg, 900kg, 1000kg in bag
HAZARD CLASS Not regulated
UN NO.

 

OTHER INFORMATION
Hazard Symbols: n/a, Risk Phrases: n/a, Safety Phrases: 24/25