2-BUTOXYETHANOL
2-Butoxyethanol is a fast-evaporating glycol ether used primarily as a solvent in paints, coatings, and cleaning products due to its excellent solvency and coupling properties.
Despite its versatility and low volatility, 2-Butoxyethanol can be a respiratory irritant and is flammable, requiring careful handling to avoid exposure.
In the paint industry, 2-Butoxyethanol is valued for extending drying times and improving flow, while its mild odor and solvency make it a common ingredient in household cleaning products.
CAS Number: 111-76-2
EC Number: 203-905-0
Molecular Formula: C4H10O2
Molecular Weight: 90.12 g/mol
Synonyms: Butyl CELLOSOLVE, 111-76-2, ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOBUTYL ETHER, Butyl CELLOSOLVE, Butoxyethanol, Ethanol, 2-butoxy-, n-Butoxyethanol, Ethylene glycol butyl ether, Butyl oxitol, Glycol butyl ether, Glycol ether eb, 3-Oxa-1-heptanol, 2-butoxyethan-1-ol, EGBE, Dowanol EB, 2-Butoxy-1-ethanol, Gafcol EB, Poly-Solv EB, O-Butyl ethylene glycol, Jeffersol eb, Butyl cellu-sol, BUCS, Ektasolve EB, Glycol monobutyl ether, Chimec NR, 2-Butoxy ethanol, 2-Butossi-etanolo, 2-Butoxy-aethanol, 2-n-Butoxyethanol, Butylcelosolv, Butoksyetylowy alkohol, 2-Butoxy-ethanol, Ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, EGMBE, Monobutyl glycol ether, Monobutyl ether of ethylene glycol, Ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, n-Butyl CELLOSOLVE, .beta.-Butoxyethanol, ethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, Butyglycol, Monobutyl ethylene glycol ether, 2-n-Butoxy-1-ethanol, Ether alcohol, Ethylene glycol, monobutyl ether, Butyl icinol, UNII-I0P9XEZ9WV, Minex BDH, NSC 60759, 2-Hydroxyethyl n-butyl ether, Butyl monoether glycol, Eter monobutilico del etilenglicol, I0P9XEZ9WV, Butyl 2-hydroxyethyl ether, Ether monobutylique de l'ethyleneglycol, 9004-77-7, CHEBI:63921, DSSTox_CID_4097, DSSTox_RID_77286, DSSTox_GSID_24097, Caswell No. 121, butylCELLOSOLVE, g lycol ether eb, beta-Butoxyethanol, 2 -Butoxyethanol, CAS-111-76-2, SMR001253761, Butoxyethanol, 2-, Ektasolve EB solvent, CCRIS 5985, HSDB 538, Ek tasolve EB solvent, Glycol ether eb acetate, EINECS 203-905-0, UN2369, n-butoxyethanol sodium salt, EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 011501, BRN 1732511, Butyloxitol, AI3-0993, butoxy-ethanol, Polyethylene glycol butyl ether, AI3-09903, Ethylene glycol mono butyl ether, Butyl Glycolether, 3-oxaheptan-1-ol, Polyethylene glycol, monobutyl ester, 2-(n-Butoxy)ethanol, BuOCH2CH2OH, ACMC-1BYYD, ethylenglycolmonobutylether, 2-(1-Butyloxy) ethanol, EC 203-905-0, EC 500-012-0, SCHEMBL15712, MLS002174253, MLS002454362, WLN: Q2O4, ethylene glycol-monobutyl ether, Polyoxyethylene monobutyl ether, CHEMBL284588, Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), alpha-butyl-omega-hydroxy-, QSPL 003, DTXSID1024097, NSC60759, ZINC1690437, Tox21_202399, Tox21_300123, MFCD00002884, NSC-60759, SBB059918, AKOS009028760, MCULE-4417721312, NCGC00090683-01, NCGC00090683-02, NCGC00090683-03, NCGC00090683-04, NCGC00090683-05, NCGC00254083-01, NCGC00259948-01, LS-13220, B0698, FT-0626297, ST51046186, EN300-19317, C19355
2-Butoxyethanol is a known respiratory irritant and can be acutely toxic, but animal studies did not find it to be mutagenic, and no studies suggest it is a human carcinogen.
A study of 13 classroom air contaminants conducted in Portugal reported a statistically significant association with increased rates of nasal obstruction and a positive association below the level of statistical significance with a higher risk of obese asthma and increased child BMI.
2-Butoxyethanol is a fast-evaporating glycol ether with an excellent balance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic character; excellent active solvency and coupling properties.
2-Butoxyethanol is a versatile solvent product with balance properties.
2-Butoxyethanol is a very versatile solvent product with a good balance of many different properties.
With a nearly equal balance of hydrophobic and hydrophilic character, 2-Butoxyethanol glycol ether provides excellent performance in coatings, cleaners, and many other types of products.
2-Butoxyethanol is one of our fastest evaporating glycol ethers.
2-Butoxyethanol is compatible with a wide range of resin types, and it also offers 100% water solubility.
2-Butoxyethanol is an organic compound with the chemical formula BuOC2H4OH (Bu = CH3CH2CH2CH2).
2-Butoxyethanol has a sweet, ether-like odor, as it derives from the family of glycol ethers, and is a butyl ether of ethylene glycol.
2-Butoxyethanol is used in many domestic and industrial products because of its properties as a surfactant.
2-Butoxyethanol is a clear, colorless oily liquid with a high boiling point, low volatility and slightly fruity odour.
As with other glycol ethers, 2-Butoxyethanol is bifunctional, containing an ether and an alcohol group in the same molecule.
2-Butoxyethanol is completely miscible with water and a wide variety of organic solvents.
This excellent miscibility makes 2-Butoxyethanol a versatile solvent and coupling agent offering excellent performance properties in a wide range of applications.
2-Butoxyethanol's bifunctional nature also means exhibiting the reactions typical of an alcohol, ie. esterification, etherification, oxidation and formation of an ether with acetates and alcoholates, which forms peroxides in the presence of atmospheric oxygen.
2-Butoxyethanol is produced by the reaction of ethylene oxide with normal butanol (n-butanol) in the presence of a catalyst.
2-Butoxyethanol is a flammable material.
2-Butoxyethanol is dominated by the paint industry, which consumes about 75% of all BG produced.
2-Butoxyethanol is a low volatility solvent and therefore prolongs the drying times of coatings and increases the flow.
Other applications are as a solvent in printing inks and textile dyes and as a component of hydraulic fluids.
2-Butoxyethanol is also a component of drilling and cutting oils and is a key component of Corexit 9527, an oil spill dispersant product.
2-Butoxyethanol is also a chemical intermediate and therefore a starting material in the production of butyl glycol acetate, which is itself an excellent solvent.
2-Butoxyethanol is also the starting material in the production of plasticizers by the reaction of phthalic anhydride.
2-Butoxyethanol is also something used regularly in most households, as it is an ingredient in many household cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol provides very good cleaning power for household cleaning products and also provides a characteristic odor associated with most of these products.
2-Butoxyethanol also plays the same role in some industrial and commercial surface cleaners.
2-Butoxyethanol is widely used as a solvent and coupling agent in water-based paints, coatings and inks.
2-Butoxyethanol improves the flow of products and extends drying times.
2-Butoxyethanol is preferred in many products due to its mild fragrance.
2-Butoxyethanol acts as a solvent and coupling agent in many waxes, resins, oils and textile dyes and is used in many industrial, commercial and household cleaning products that offer the good cleaning power and fragrance typically associated with such products.
2-Butoxyethanol is an important starting material for various syntheses, which is one of the raw materials for the production of butyl glycol acetate and for the production of plasticizers by reaction with phthalic anhydride.
2-Butoxyethanol is also formulated in insecticides, herbicides, pesticides and cosmetics, and is an ingredient in hydraulic fluids and cutting and drilling oils.
2-Butoxyethanol can be obtained in the laboratory by performing a ring opening of 2-propyl-1,3-dioxolane with boron trichloride.
2-Butoxyethanol is often produced industrially by combining ethylene glycol and butyraldehyde in a Parr reactor with palladium on carbon.
2-Butoxyethanol is a glycol ether with modest surfactant properties, which can also be used as a mutual solvent.
2-Butoxyethanol is a solvent for paints and surface coatings, as well as cleaning products and inks.
Products that contain 2-Butoxyethanol include acrylic resin formulations, asphalt release agents, firefighting foam, leather protectors, oil spill dispersants, degreaser applications, photographic strip solutions, whiteboard and glass cleaners, liquid soaps, cosmetics, dry cleaning solutions, lacquers, varnishes, herbicides, latex paints, enamels, printing paste, and varnish removers, and silicone caulk.
Products containing 2-Butoxyethanol are commonly found at construction sites, automobile repair shops, print shops, and facilities that produce sterilizing and cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol is the main ingredient of many home, commercial and industrial cleaning solutions.
2-Butoxyethanol is commonly produced for the oil industry because of its surfactant properties.
In the petroleum industry, 2-Butoxyethanol is a component of fracturing fluids, drilling stabilizers, and oil slick dispersants for both water-based and oil-based hydraulic fracturing.
When liquid is pumped into the well, the fracturing fluids are pumped under extreme pressure, so 2-Butoxyethanol is used to stabilize them by lowering the surface tension.
As a surfactant, 2-Butoxyethanol absorbs at the oil-water interface of the fracture.
2-Butoxyethanol is also used to facilitate the release of the gas by preventing congealing.
2-Butoxyethanol is a clear, colourless, oily liquid with a unique sweet yet mild odour and has the formula C6H14O2.
2-Butoxyethanol is a butyl ether of ethylene glycol and is miscible with water and common organic solvents.
2-Butoxyethanol has been produced industrially for over half a century and is used primarily as a solvent in paints and surface coatings but also in inks and cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol is dominated by the paint industry which consumes approximately 75 % of all the BG produced.
Other applications include use as a solvent in printing inks due to 2-Butoxyethanol's high boiling point, textile dyes and as a component of hydraulic fluids.
2-Butoxyethanol is also a component of drilling and cutting oils and is a major component of Corexit 9527, which is an oil spill dispersant product.
2-Butoxyethanol is also a chemical intermediate and, as such, is a starting material in the production of butyl glycol acetate which is, itself, an excellent solvent.
2-Butoxyethanol is also a starting material in the production of plasticisers by the reaction of phthalic anhydride.
2-Butoxyethanol is used regularly in most households as it is a component of many home cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol provides excellent cleaning power for domestic cleaning products and also provides the characteristic odour that we associate with them.
2-Butoxyethanol also plays the same role in some industrial and commercial surface cleaners.
Many other products contain 2-Butoxyethanol including spray lacquers, varnishes, varnish removers, paints, liquid soaps, degreasers, leather protectors, whiteboard cleaners, printing pastes, enamels, cosmetics and herbicides.
2-Butoxyethanol acts as a fast-evaporating glycol ether-based solvent with a very good balance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic character, very good active solvency and coupling properties.
2-Butoxyethanol is used as an active solvent for solvent-based coatings, coalescent for industrial water-based coatings, coupling agent for architectural water-borne coatings, primary solvent in solvent-based silk screen printing inks.
2-Butoxyethanol possesses powerful solvency.
2-Butoxyethanol offers high dilution ratio and moderate evaporation rate.
2-Butoxyethanol is a chemical commonly found in household cleaning agents, including all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, and floor cleaners.
2-Butoxyethanol is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor.
2-Butoxyethanol is a highly versatile chemical that possesses a unique combination of properties that make it an essential ingredient in many household cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol is a powerful solvent that effectively dissolves dirt, grime, and stains, making it an effective cleaning agent in products such as all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, and floor cleaners.
2-Butoxyethanol's ability to penetrate surfaces and lift away tough stains is just one of the many properties that make 2-Butoxyethanol a popular choice for cleaning agents.
2-Butoxyethanol is a primary alcohol that is ethanol in which one of the methyl hydrogens is replaced by a butoxy group.
2-Butoxyethanol is used as a solvent for paints and inks, as well as in some dry cleaning solutions.
2-Butoxyethanol has a role as a protic solvent.
2-Butoxyethanol is a primary alcohol and a glycol ether.
2-Butoxyethanol is a natural product.
2-Butoxyethanol is a colorless liquid solvent with surfactant properties.
2-Butoxyethanol has a mild, sweet, ether-like odor; and is soluble in alcohol, water, and most organic solvents.
2-Butoxyethanol is relatively non-volatile and inexpensive.
2-Butoxyethanol is a highly versatile solvent with a good balance of many different properties that make it a powerful ingredient in various applications.
2-Butoxyethanol appears in the form of a colourless liquid with a mild odour of ether, and is found in a wide variety of household cleaning agents.
2-Butoxyethanol is soluble in water and with a good balance of many different properties.
2-Butoxyethanol is soluble in water and miscible with mineral oils and soaps, and common organic solvents in all proportions at room temperature.
2-Butoxyethanol is a clear, colorless oily liquid with a high boiling point, low volatility and slightly fruity odour.
As with other glycol ethers, 2-Butoxyethanol is bifunctional, containing an ether and an alcohol group in the same molecule.
2-Butoxyethanol is completely miscible with water and a wide variety of organic solvents.
This excellent miscibility makes 2-Butoxyethanol a versatile solvent and coupling agent offering excellent performance properties in a wide range of applications.
2-Butoxyethanol is bifunctional nature also means exhibiting the reactions typical of an alcohol, ie. esterification, etherification, oxidation and formation of an ether with acetates and alcoholates, which forms peroxides in the presence of atmospheric oxygen.
2-Butoxyethanol is produced by the reaction of ethylene oxide with normal butanol (n-butanol) in the presence of a catalyst.
2-Butoxyethanol is a flammable material.
Keep the product and empty containers away from heat, sparks and flames.
2-Butoxyethanol is an organic compound with the chemical formula BuOC2H4OH (Bu = CH3CH2CH2CH2).
2-Butoxyethanol liquid has a sweet, ether-like odor, as it derives from the family of glycol ethers, and is a butyl ether of ethylene glycol.
As a relatively nonvolatile, inexpensive solvent, 2-Butoxyethanol is used in many domestic and industrial products because of its properties as a surfactant.
Uses of 2-Butoxyethanol:
2-Butoxyethanol is a glycol ether with modest surfactant properties, which can also be used as a mutual solvent.
2-Butoxyethanol use is dominated by the paint industry, which consumes about 75% of all BG produced.
2-Butoxyethanol is a low volatility solvent and therefore extends the drying times of coatings and increases the flow.
Other applications are as a solvent in printing inks and textile dyes and as a component of hydraulic fluids.
2-Butoxyethanol is also a component of drilling and cutting oils and is a key component of Corexit 9527, an oil spill dispersant product.
2-Butoxyethanol is also a chemical intermediate and therefore a starting material in the production of 2-Butoxyethanol acetate, which is itself an excellent solvent.
2-Butoxyethanol is also the starting material in the production of plasticizers by the reaction of phthalic anhydride.
2-Butoxyethanol is also something used regularly in most households, as it is an ingredient in many household cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol provides very good cleaning power for household cleaning products and also provides a characteristic odor associated with most of these products.
2-Butoxyethanol also plays the same role in some industrial and commercial surface cleaners.
2-Butoxyethanol is widely used as a solvent and coupling agent in water-based paints, coatings and inks; here 2-Butoxyethanol improves the flow of products and prolongs drying times.
Urea is an effective flow enhancer for melamine and phenolic oven linings.
2-Butoxyethanol is preferred in many products due to its mild fragrance.
2-Butoxyethanol acts as a solvent and coupling agent in many waxes, resins, oils and textile dyes and is used in many industrial, commercial and household cleaning products that offer the good cleaning power and fragrance typically associated with such products.
2-Butoxyethanol is an important starting material for various syntheses, which is one of the raw materials for the production of butyl glycol acetate, and for the production of plasticizers by reaction with phthalic anhydride.
2-Butoxyethanol is also formulated in insecticides, herbicides, pesticides and cosmetics, and forms an ingredient in hydraulic fluids and cutting and drilling oils.
2-Butoxyethanol is an organic compound with the chemical formula BuOC2H4OH (Bu = CH3CH2CH2CH2).
2-Butoxyethanol has a sweet, ether-like odor, as 2-Butoxyethanol derives from the family of glycol ethers, and is a butyl ether of ethylene glycol.
As a relatively nonvolatile, inexpensive solvent, 2-Butoxyethanol is used in many domestic and industrial products because of its properties as a surfactant.
2-Butoxyethanol (C₄H₉OCH₂CH₂OH) is a colorless liquid with a mild odor.
2-Butoxyethanol can harm the eyes, skin, kidneys, and blood.
Workers may be harmed from exposure to 2-Butoxyethanol.
The level of exposure depends upon the dose, duration, and work being done.
2-Butoxyethanol is used in many industries.
2-Butoxyethanol is used as a solvent and is found in paint strippers, thinners, and household cleaners.
2-Butoxyethanol is a high-production-volume glycol ether.
2-Butoxyethanol is a colourless liquid that is miscible in water and soluble in most organic solvents.
2-Butoxyethanol is used widely as a solvent in surface coatings, such as spray lacquers, quick-dry lacquers, enamels, varnishes, varnish removers, and latex paint.
2-Butoxyethanol is also used in metal and household cleaners.
2-Butoxyethanol exists in the atmosphere almost entirely as a vapour; because the chemical has an atmospheric half-life of approximately 17 h, the risk for transport via the atmosphere should be small.
The estimated half-life of 2-Butoxyethanol in water is approximately 1-4 weeks, and the chemical is likely readily biodegraded in aerobic soil and water.
2-Butoxyethanol's potential for bioaccumulation is low.
Based upon limited data, ambient exposures in air are generally in the µg/m3 range.
Indirect exposure of the general population to 2-Butoxyethanol is most likely from inhalation and dermal absorption during the use of products containing the chemical.
Levels of airborne 2-Butoxyethanol in occupational settings are typically in the mg/m3 range.
2-Butoxyethanol is readily absorbed following inhalation, oral, and dermal exposure.
The chemical is metabolized primarily via alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases, with the formation of 2-butoxyacetaldehyde and 2-butoxyacetic acid, the principal metabolite, although other metabolic pathways have also been identified.
2-Butoxyethanol has moderate acute toxicity and is irritating to the eyes and skin.
2-Butoxyethanol is not a skin sensitizer.
The principal effect exerted by 2-Butoxyethanol and its metabolite 2-butoxyacetic acid is haematotoxicity, with the rat being the most sensitive species.
The results of in vitro studies indicate that human red blood cells are not as sensitive as rat red blood cells to the haemolytic effects of2-Butoxyethanol and 2-butoxyacetic acid and also that red blood cells are more sensitive to haemolysis by 2-butoxyacetic acid than to haemolysis by 2-Butoxyethanol
In rats, adverse effects on the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver occur at higher exposure concentrations than do haemolytic effects.
In animals, adverse effects on reproduction and development have not been observed at less than toxic doses.
Although the results of in vitro tests for mutagenicity of 2-Butoxyethanol were inconsistent, the absence of structural alerts and the negative findings from in vivo studies are sufficiently reassuring to allow the conclusion that 2-Butoxyethanol is not mutagenic.
Based on limited data from case reports and one laboratory study, similar acute effects including haemolytic effects as well as effects on the central nervous system are observed in humans and rats exposed to 2-Butoxyethanol, although the effects are observed at much higher exposure concentrations in humans than in rats.
Based upon the development of haemolytic effects in pregnant rats exposed during gestation, a sample tolerable concentration for humans of 13.1 mg 2-Butoxyethanol/m3 has been derived.
Based upon extremely conservative assumptions, the highest predicted concentrations of 2-Butoxyethanol in surface waters in the immediate vicinity of effluent streams may, in some cases, exceed predicted no-observed-effect concentrations.
However, more realistic assumptions based on the available data suggest that risk to aquatic organisms is low.
Owing to the short half-life of 2-Butoxyethanol in the atmosphere, measured or predicted concentrations of this chemical in air are considered to have no environmental significance.
Some examples of workers at risk of being exposed to 2-Butoxyethanol include the following:
Workers in silk-screening and printing occupations.
Workers who make or refinish furniture.
Workers who use spray paints.
Employees exposed to certain household cleaners.
Mechanics and others exposed to hydraulic fluids.
Factory workers who manufacture certain cosmetics.
Commercial Uses:
2-Butoxyethanol is a solvent for paints and surface coatings, as well as cleaning products and inks.
Products that contain 2-Butoxyethanol include acrylic resin formulations, asphalt release agents, firefighting foam, leather protectors, oil spill dispersants, degreaser applications, photographic strip solutions, whiteboard and glass cleaners, liquid soaps, cosmetics, dry cleaning solutions, lacquers, varnishes, herbicides, latex paints, enamels, printing paste, and varnish removers, and silicone caulk. Products containing this compound are commonly found at construction sites, automobile repair shops, print shops, and facilities that produce sterilizing and cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol is the main ingredient of many home, commercial and industrial cleaning solutions.
Since the molecule has both polar and non-polar ends, 2-Butoxyethanol is useful for removing both polar and non-polar substances, like grease and oils.
2-Butoxyethanol is also approved by the U.S. FDA to be used as direct and indirect food additives, which include antimicrobial agents, defoamers, stabilizers, and adhesives.
In the petroleum industry:
2-Butoxyethanol is commonly produced for the oil industry because of its surfactant properties.
In the petroleum industry, 2-Butoxyethanol is a component of fracturing fluids, drilling stabilizers, and oil slick dispersants for both water-based and oil-based hydraulic fracturing.
When liquid is pumped into the well, the fracturing fluids are pumped under extreme pressure, so 2-
butoxyethanol is used to stabilize them by lowering the surface tension.
As a surfactant, 2-Butoxyethanol absorbs at the oil-water interface of the fracture.
The compound is also used to facilitate the release of the gas by preventing congealing.
2-Butoxyethanol is also used as a crude oil–water coupling solvent for more general oil well workovers.
Because of its surfactant properties, 2-Butoxyethanol is a major constituent (30–60% w/w) in the oil spill dispersant Corexit 9527, which was widely used in the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Consumer Uses:
2-Butoxyethanol is used in the following products: coating products and washing & cleaning products.
Other release to the environment of 2-Butoxyethanol is likely to occur from: indoor use (e.g. machine wash liquids/detergents, automotive care products, paints and coating or adhesives, fragrances and air fresheners) and outdoor use.
Widespread uses by professional workers:
2-Butoxyethanol is used in the following products: coating products, oil and gas exploration or production products, fillers, putties, plasters, modelling clay, metal surface treatment products, polymers and washing & cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol is used in the following areas: mining.
Other release to the environment of 2-Butoxyethanol is likely to occur from: outdoor use and indoor use (e.g. machine wash liquids/detergents, automotive care products, paints and coating or adhesives, fragrances and air fresheners).
Uses at industrial sites:
2-Butoxyethanol is used in the following products: oil and gas exploration or production products, coating products, polymers, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics and personal care products.
2-Butoxyethanol is used in the following areas: mining.
2-Butoxyethanol is used for the manufacture of: chemicals.
Release to the environment of 2-Butoxyethanol can occur from industrial use: in processing aids at industrial sites, as an intermediate step in further manufacturing of another substance (use of intermediates) and of substances in closed systems with minimal release.
Usage Areas:
Solvent for agricultural pesticides
Solvent in printing inks for leather dyes
As a coalescing aid
Active solvent for solvent-based coatings
Coupling agent and solvent in household and industrial cleaners, rust removers, hard surface cleaners, and disinfectants
Glass cleaners
Carpet cleaners
Laundry additives
Bathroom & Kitchen cleaners
Multi-purpose cleaners for institutional and janitorial purposes
General degreasers
Applications of 2-Butoxyethanol:
Selected applications of 2-Butoxyethanol are described below.
As a low-volatility solvent, 2-Butoxyethanol can be used to extend the drying time of coatings and improves their flow.
2-Butoxyethanol is especially recommended for paints for brush-application based on cellulose nitrate, chlorinated binders or cellulose ethers, because when 2-Butoxyethanol is applied to dry coatings, 2-Butoxyethanol only softens them very slowly.
Small proportions of 2-Butoxyethanol improve the brushability of, for example, alkyd resin paints and reduce their viscosity.
2-Butoxyethanol is also an extremely efficient flow improver for urea, melamine or phenolic stoving finishes.
2-Butoxyethanol has proved to be the most effective of a large number of organic solvents tested in a very wide range of aqueous coating systems.
In particular, 2-Butoxyethanol improves the properties of the paint by reducing the viscosity peak when oxidatively and physically drying water-based paints, including those for stoveenamelling, are diluted with water.
As a coalescing aid, 2-Butoxyethanol can significantly lower the minimum filmforming temperature (MFFT) and improve flow in many physically drying paint systems.
2-Butoxyethanol improves the evaporation behaviour of the volatile constituents (e. g. in water-based stoving enamels) during hot-air or infrared drying.
2-Butoxyethanol is a clear, colourless, oily liquid with a unique sweet yet mild odour and has the formula C6H14O2.
2-Butoxyethanol is a butyl ether of ethylene glycol and is miscible with water and common organic solvents.
2-Butoxyethanol has been produced industrially for over half a century and is used primarily as a solvent in paints and surface coatings but also in inks and cleaning products.
2-Butoxyethanol an organic compound from the group of glycol ethers.
2-Butoxyethanol is C6H14O2 ethylene glycol butyl ether.
2-Butoxyethanol is widely used as an organic solvent in professional and consumer chemistry.
2-Butoxyethanol is widely used in cleaning agents, paints and coatings.
2-Butoxyethanol is used in the mining and construction industries.
2-Butoxyethanol organic solvent from the group of glycol ethers.
Due to the polar-non-polar structure of the molecule, 2-Butoxyethanol dissolves both water-soluble and water-insoluble substances.
2-Butoxyethanol is widely used as an ingredient in cleaning agents and pigments.
The 2-Butoxyethanol solvent is used in the paints, varnishes and acrylic resins industry.
2-Butoxyethanol is used in degreasing agents in industrial and professional chemistry.
2-Butoxyethanol is used as an ingredient in alkaline preparations for foam car washing.
In professional chemistry 2-Butoxyethanol is used in concentrates for washing glass surfaces.
2-Butoxyethanol is used as a component of agents for removing residues and dirt from polymer dispersions.
2-Butoxyethanol is used in dirt removal products in car workshops, printers and construction sites.
2-Butoxyethanol is approved as a food additive and is used in biocides, antifoams and stabilizers.
2-Butoxyethanol is used in the petroleum industry for its good surfactant properties in fracturing fluids and drilling stabilizers.
2-Butoxyethanol is also used as an anti-clotting ingredient.
Production of 2-Butoxyethanol:
2-Butoxyethanol is commonly obtained through two processes; the ethoxylation reaction of butanol and ethylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst:
C2H4O + C4H9OH → C4H9OC2H4OH
or the etherification of butanol with 2-chloroethanol.
2-Butoxyethanol can be obtained in the laboratory by performing a ring opening of 2-propyl-1,3-dioxolane with boron trichloride.
2-Butoxyethanol is often produced industrially by combining ethylene glycol and butyraldehyde in a Parr reactor with palladium on carbon.
In 2006, the European production of butyl glycol ethers amounted to 181 kilotons, of which approximately 50% (90 kt/a) was 2-Butoxyethanol. World production is estimated to be 200 to 500 kt/a, of which 75% is for paints and coatings and 18% for metal cleaners and household cleaners.
In the US, 2-Butoxyethanol is considered a high production volume chemical because more than 100 million pounds of this chemical are produced per year.
Handling and Storage of 2-Butoxyethanol:
Precautions for safe handling:
Avoid inhalation of vapour or mist.
Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.
Containers which are opened must be carefully resealed and kept upright to prevent leakage.
Storage class (TRGS 510):
8A: Combustible, corrosive hazardous materials
Stability and Reactivity of 2-Butoxyethanol:
Chemical stability:
Stable under recommended storage conditions.
Incompatible materials:
Strong oxidizing agents:
Hazardous decomposition products:
Hazardous decomposition products formed under fire conditions.
Carbon oxides, Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydrogen chloride gas.
Disposal considerations:
Waste treatment methods:
Offer surplus and non-recyclable solutions to a licensed disposal company.
Contact a licensed professional waste disposal service to dispose of 2-Butoxyethanol.
Contaminated packaging:
Dispose of as unused product.
Safety of 2-Butoxyethanol:
2-Butoxyethanol has a low acute toxicity, with LD50 of 2.5 g/kg in rats.
Laboratory tests by the U.S. National Toxicology Program have shown that only sustained exposure to high concentrations (100–500 ppm) of 2-Butoxyethanol can cause adrenal tumors in animals.
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) reports that 2-Butoxyethanol is carcinogenic in rodents.
These rodent tests may not directly translate to carcinogenicity in humans, as the observed mechanism of cancer involves the rodents' forestomach, which humans lack.
2-Butoxyethanol has not been shown to penetrate shale rock in a study conducted by Manz.
First Aid Measures of 2-Butoxyethanol:
General advice:
Consult a physician.
Show this safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance.
Move out of dangerous area:
If inhaled:
If breathed in, move person into fresh air.
If not breathing, give artificial respiration.
Consult a physician.
In case of skin contact:
Take off contaminated clothing and shoes immediately.
Wash off with soap and plenty of water.
Consult a physician.
In case of eye contact:
Rinse thoroughly with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and consult a physician.
Continue rinsing eyes during transport to hospital.
If swallowed:
Do NOT induce vomiting.
Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person.
Rinse mouth with water.
Consult a physician.
Firefighting Measures of 2-Butoxyethanol:
Suitable extinguishing media:
Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.
Special hazards arising from the substance or mixture:
Carbon oxides, Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydrogen chloride gas
Advice for firefighters:
Wear self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighting if necessary.
Accidental Release Measures of 2-Butoxyethanol:
Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures:
Use personal protective equipment.
Avoid breathing vapours, mist or gas.
Evacuate personnel to safe areas.
Environmental precautions:
Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so.
Do not let product enter drains.
Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Soak up with inert absorbent material and dispose of as hazardous waste.
Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.
Exposure Controls/Personal Protection of 2-Butoxyethanol:
Control parameters:
Components with workplace control parameters:
Contains no substances with occupational exposure limit values.
Exposure controls:
Appropriate engineering controls:
Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice.
Wash hands before breaks and at the end of workday.
Personal protective equipment:
Eye/face protection:
Tightly fitting safety goggles.
Faceshield (8-inch minimum).
Use equipment for eye protection tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or EN 166(EU).
Skin protection:
Handle with gloves.
Gloves must be inspected prior to use.
Use proper glove removal technique (without touching glove's outer surface) to avoid skin contact with 2-Butoxyethanol.
Dispose of contaminated gloves after use in accordance with applicable laws and good laboratory practices.
Wash and dry hands.
Full contact:
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0.11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Material tested:Dermatril (KCL 740 / Aldrich Z677272, Size M)
Splash contact:
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0.11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Material tested:Dermatril (KCL 740 / Aldrich Z677272, Size M)
2-Butoxyethanol should not be construed as offering an approval for any specific use scenario.
Body Protection:
Complete suit protecting against chemicals, The type of protective equipment must be selected according to the concentration and amount of the dangerous substance at the specific workplace.
Respiratory protection:
Where risk assessment shows air-purifying respirators are appropriate use a fullface respirator with multi-purpose combination (US) or type ABEK (EN 14387) respirator cartridges as a backup to engineering controls.
If the respirator is the sole means of protection, use a full-face supplied air respirator.
Use respirators and components tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or CEN (EU).
Control of environmental exposure:
Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so.
Do not let product enter drains.
Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Identifiers of 2-Butoxyethanol:
Chemical Name: 2-Butoxyethanol
Chemical Formula: C₄H₁₀O₂ (often represented as BuOC₂H₄OH)
IUPAC Name: 2-Butoxyethanol
CAS Number: 111-76-2
Synonyms: Butyl glycol, 2-Butoxyethanol
Molecular Weight: 90.12 g/mol
EINECS Number: 203-905-0
UN Number: 1152 (when transported)
HS Code: 2905.12.00 (for trade purposes)
SMILES Notation: CCCCC(OCCO)
InChI Key: NGAGXKCLFSBZCU-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Boiling Point: Approximately 171 °C (340 °F)
Melting Point: Approximately -77 °C (-107 °F)
Density: About 0.90 g/cm³ at 20 °C
Flash Point: 54 °C (129 °F)
Solubility: Miscible with water, alcohols, and most organic solvents
Odor: Sweet, ether-like
Vapor Pressure: Approximately 0.43 mmHg at 20 °C
pKa: Approximately 13.6 (for the alcohol group)
Properties of 2-Butoxyethanol:
Molecular Weight: 118.17
XLogP3: 0.8
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count: 1
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count: 2
Rotatable Bond Count: 5
Exact Mass: 118.099379685
Monoisotopic Mass: 118.099379685
Topological Polar Surface Area: 29.5 Ų
Heavy Atom Count: 8
Complexity: 37.5
Isotope Atom Count: 0
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count: 1
Compound Is Canonicalized: Yes
Molecular Weight (g/mol): 118.2
Boiling Point at 760 mmHg, 1.01 ar: 171 °C (340 °F)
Flash Point (Setaflash Closed Cup): 67 °C (153°F)
Freezing Point: -75 °C (-103°F)
Specific gravity (25/25°C): 0.901
Liquid Density at 20°C: 0.902 g/cm3
Viscosity (cP or mPa•s at 20°C): 3.3
Surface tension (dynes/cm or mN/m at 20°C): 65 at 2 g/L
Specific heat (J/g/°C at 25°C): 2.38
Heat of vaporization (J/g) at normal boiling point: 348
Net heat of combustion (kJ/g) — predicted at 25°C: 30.0
Autoignition temperature: 230 °C (446 °F)
Evaporation rate (n-butyl acetate = 1.0): 0.06
Molecular Weight: 118.2
Boiling Point at 760 mm Hg: 170.5
Freezing Point: -77
Specific gravity at 25/25°C: 0.901
Viscosity at 25°C: 3.0
Surface tension at 25°C: 27.1
Relative Evaporation rate; n-butyl acetate= 1.0: 0.08
Flash Point: 65
Vapor Pressure at 20 mm Hg: 0.7
Autoignition temperature: 244
