Butyl Carbitol is a solvent and cleaning agent commonly used in industrial and consumer applications. It is the common name for 2-butoxyethanol, a member of the glycol ether family. Its chemical formula is C₆H₁₄O₂.
Butyl Carbitol is a colorless, odorless, and mildly sweet-smelling liquid that has excellent solvency properties, making it highly versatile in many sectors, including coatings, cleaning, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Properties of Butyl Carbitol:
- Molecular Formula: C₆H₁₄O₂ (also written as CH₃(CH₂)₄OCH₂CH₂OH).
- Molar Mass: 118.18 g/mol
- CAS Number: 112-34-5
- Functional Group: Butyl Carbitol contains both an ether group (–O–) and an alcohol group (–OH), making it a glycol ether with a hydrophilic and hydrophobic structure.
- Reactivity:
- Butyl Carbitol is chemically stable under normal conditions but may react with strong acids and strong bases.
- It can be slowly hydrolyzed to form butyl alcohol and ethylene glycol under basic conditions.
- It does not typically participate in highly reactive chemical reactions in its normal state.
- Appearance: A colorless to slightly yellow liquid.
- Odor: Mildly sweet, almost odorless.
- Density: 0.90 g/cm³ at 20°C.
- Melting Point: –75°C (–103°F).
- Boiling Point: 171°C (340°F).
- Viscosity: 2.6 cP at 20°C (viscous).
- Solubility:
- Miscible in water in varying concentrations and soluble in many organic solvents, including alcohols, esters, ketones, and ethers.
- Exhibits excellent solvency properties for a wide range of polar and non-polar compounds.
Uses of Butyl Carbitol:
- Solvent: Used in coatings, paints, and cleaning products.
- Textiles: Used in the textile industry for dyeing and finishing fabrics.
- Agriculture: Used as a solvent for herbicides and pesticides.