Product Name : Methylene dichloride
Synonyms : Dichloromethane; Freon 30; Methylene chloride; Chlorocarbon; Methylene Bichloride; Methane Dichloride, DCM.
About the product : DCM, an organic compound, is a colourless volatile liquid with a sweet smell. It is miscible with a variety of solvents. Its volatility makes it useful as a solvent in various chemical processes. It is used in a wide variety of industrial applications. DCM is the least toxic compound of the simple chlorohydrocarbons and is not flammable. It is even used in the food industry to decaffeinate coffee and tea.
Product Identification Features:
CAS Number: 75-09-2
H.S. Code: 200-838-9
Chemical formula: CH2Cl2
Chemical Properties:
Melting point: -97 C
Boling point: 40 C
Specific gravity: 1.32
Solubility in water: Slightly Soluble
Vapour density: 2.9
A brief history : The compound was first prepared by a French chemist Henri Victor Regnault in the year 1840. He prepared DCM by isolating it from a mixture of chloromethane and chlorine which had been exposed to sunlight.
Uses :
Used as a paint stripper and degreaser.
Used to manufacture film coatings
Used in the pharmaceuticals industry.
Used to remove heat-sealed labels in the textile industry.
Used to prepare flavourings for food and beverages industry.
Used as a post-harvest fumigant for grains and fruits.
Used as an aerosol spray propellant.
Production Process : When methyl chloride or methane is treated with chlorine gas at 400–500 °C, methylene dichloride is produced. Apart from DCM, this process also leads to the production of methyl chloride, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, separated by distillation.
CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl
CH3Cl + Cl2 → CH2Cl2 + HCl
CH2Cl2 + Cl2 → CHCl3 + HCl
CHCl3 + Cl2 → CCl4 + HCl
