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Chemical Datasheet

CHLOROACETYL CHLORIDE

6.1 - Poison Inhalation Hazard 8 - Corrosive

Chemical Identifiers

CAS Number UN/NA Number DOT Hazard Label USCG CHRIS Code
  • 79-04-9   (CHLOROACETYL CHLORIDE)
  • 1752
  • Poison Inhalation Hazard
  • Corrosive
  • CAC
NIOSH Pocket Guide International Chem Safety Card
Chloroacetyl chloride
  • CHLOROACETYL CHLORIDE
NFPA 704
Diamond Hazard Value Description
0
3 1
Blue Health 3 Can cause serious or permanent injury.
Red Flammability 0 Will not burn under typical fire conditions.
Yellow Instability 1 Normally stable but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures.
White Special
(NFPA, 2010)
General Description
A colorless to light yellow liquid with a very pungent odor. Very toxic by inhalation. Corrosive to metals and tissue.

Hazards

Reactivity Alerts
Air & Water Reactions
Reacts with moisture in the air or with water with generation of heat and hydrochloric acid [Merck, 11th ed., 1989].

Chloroacetyl chloride reacts vigorously with water to generate gaseous HCl. Based on a scenario where the chemical is spilled into an excess of water (at least 5 fold excess of water), half of the maximum theoretical yield of Hydrogen Chloride gas will be created in 1.8 minutes. Experimental details are in the following: "Development of the Table of Initial Isolation and Protective Distances for the 2008 Emergency Response Guidebook", ANL/DIS-09-2, D.F. Brown, H.M. Hartmann, W.A. Freeman, and W.D. Haney, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, June 2009.
Fire Hazard
Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Heat of fire can cause decomposition, with evolution of highly toxic and irritating hydrogen chloride and phosgene vapors.

Behavior in Fire: Highly irritating (tear gas) vapors released when heated. Hydrogen chloride gas is released if in contact with water. (USCG, 1999)
Health Hazard
Inhalation causes severe irritation of upper respiratory system. External contact causes severe irritation of eyes and skin. Ingestion causes severe irritation of mouth and stomach. (USCG, 1999)
Reactivity Profile
CHLOROACETYL CHLORIDE reacts rapidly with water. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents, alcohols, bases (including amines). May react vigorously or explosively if mixed with diisopropyl ether or other ethers in the presence of trace amounts of metal salts [J. Haz. Mat., 1981, 4, 291].
Belongs to the Following Reactive Group(s)
Potentially Incompatible Absorbents

Use caution: Liquids with this reactive group classification have been known to react with the absorbents listed below.

Response Recommendations

Isolation and Evacuation
Excerpt from 156 Polymerizable warning [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE: Isolate spill or leak area in all directions for at least 50 meters (150 feet) for liquids and at least 25 meters (75 feet) for solids.

SPILL: See ERG Table 1 - Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances on the UN/NA 1752 datasheet.

FIRE: If tank, rail car or tank truck is involved in a fire, ISOLATE for 800 meters (1/2 mile) in all directions; also, consider initial evacuation for 800 meters (1/2 mile) in all directions. (ERG, 2020)
Firefighting
Excerpt from 156 Polymerizable warning [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

Note: Most foams will react with the material and release corrosive/toxic gases.

SMALL FIRE: CO2, dry chemical, dry sand, alcohol-resistant foam.

LARGE FIRE: Water spray, fog or alcohol-resistant foam. FOR CHLOROSILANES, DO NOT USE WATER; use AFFF alcohol-resistant medium-expansion foam. If it can be done safely, move undamaged containers away from the area around the fire. Avoid aiming straight or solid streams directly onto the product.

FIRE INVOLVING TANKS OR CAR/TRAILER LOADS: Fight fire from maximum distance or use unmanned master stream devices or monitor nozzles. Do not get water inside containers. Cool containers with flooding quantities of water until well after fire is out. Withdraw immediately in case of rising sound from venting safety devices or discoloration of tank. ALWAYS stay away from tanks engulfed in fire. (ERG, 2020)
Non-Fire Response
Excerpt from 156 Polymerizable warning [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Combustible / Water-Sensitive)]:

ELIMINATE all ignition sources (no smoking, flares, sparks or flames) from immediate area. All equipment used when handling the product must be grounded. Do not touch damaged containers or spilled material unless wearing appropriate protective clothing. Stop leak if you can do it without risk. A vapor-suppressing foam may be used to reduce vapors. FOR CHLOROSILANES, use AFFF alcohol-resistant medium-expansion foam to reduce vapors. DO NOT GET WATER on spilled substance or inside containers. Use water spray to reduce vapors or divert vapor cloud drift. Avoid allowing water runoff to contact spilled material. Prevent entry into waterways, sewers, basements or confined areas.

SMALL SPILL: Cover with DRY earth, DRY sand or other non-combustible material followed with plastic sheet to minimize spreading or contact with rain. Use clean, non-sparking tools to collect material and place it into loosely covered plastic containers for later disposal. (ERG, 2020)
Protective Clothing
Excerpt from NIOSH Pocket Guide for Chloroacetyl chloride:

Skin: PREVENT SKIN CONTACT - Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent skin contact.

Eyes: PREVENT EYE CONTACT - Wear appropriate eye protection to prevent eye contact.

Wash skin: WHEN CONTAMINATED - The worker should immediately wash the skin when it becomes contaminated.

Remove: WHEN WET OR CONTAMINATED - Work clothing that becomes wet or significantly contaminated should be removed and replaced.

Change: No recommendation is made specifying the need for the worker to change clothing after the workshift.

Provide:
• EYEWASH - Eyewash fountains should be provided in areas where there is any possibility that workers could be exposed to the substances; this is irrespective of the recommendation involving the wearing of eye protection.
• QUICK DRENCH - Facilities for quickly drenching the body should be provided within the immediate work area for emergency use where there is a possibility of exposure. [Note: It is intended that these facilities provide a sufficient quantity or flow of water to quickly remove the substance from any body areas likely to be exposed. The actual determination of what constitutes an adequate quick drench facility depends on the specific circumstances. In certain instances, a deluge shower should be readily available, whereas in others, the availability of water from a sink or hose could be considered adequate.] (NIOSH, 2023)
DuPont Tychem® Suit Fabrics
Normalized Breakthrough Times (in Minutes)
Chemical CAS Number State QS QC SL C3 TF TP RC TK RF
Chloro acetyl chloride 79-04-9 Liquid 120 77 160 160 160

Special Warning from DuPont: Tychem® and Tyvek® fabrics should not be used around heat, flames, sparks or in potentially flammable or explosive environments. Only...

(DuPont, 2023)

First Aid
Excerpt from NIOSH Pocket Guide for Chloroacetyl chloride:

Eye: IRRIGATE IMMEDIATELY - If this chemical contacts the eyes, immediately wash (irrigate) the eyes with large amounts of water, occasionally lifting the lower and upper lids. Get medical attention immediately.

Skin: WATER FLUSH IMMEDIATELY - If this chemical contacts the skin, immediately flush the contaminated skin with water. If this chemical penetrates the clothing, immediately remove the clothing and flush the skin with water. Get medical attention promptly.

Breathing: RESPIRATORY SUPPORT - If a person breathes large amounts of this chemical, move the exposed person to fresh air at once. If breathing has stopped, perform artificial respiration. Keep the affected person warm and at rest. Get medical attention as soon as possible.

Swallow: MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY - If this chemical has been swallowed, get medical attention immediately. (NIOSH, 2023)

Physical Properties

Chemical Formula:
  • ClCH2COCl
Flash Point: data unavailable
Lower Explosive Limit (LEL): data unavailable
Upper Explosive Limit (UEL): data unavailable
Autoignition Temperature: data unavailable
Melting Point: -8.5°F (USCG, 1999)
Vapor Pressure: 19 mmHg (NIOSH, 2023)
Vapor Density (Relative to Air): data unavailable
Specific Gravity: 1.42 at 68°F (USCG, 1999) - Denser than water; will sink
Boiling Point: 221°F at 760 mmHg (USCG, 1999)
Molecular Weight: 112.9 (USCG, 1999)
Water Solubility: Decomposes (NIOSH, 2023)
Ionization Energy/Potential: 10.30 eV (NIOSH, 2023)
IDLH: 1.3 ppm (NIOSH, 2023)

AEGLs (Acute Exposure Guideline Levels)

Interim AEGLs for Chloroacetyl chloride (79-04-9)
Exposure Period AEGL-1 AEGL-2 AEGL-3
10 minutes 0.04 ppm 2.9 ppm 95 ppm
30 minutes 0.04 ppm 2 ppm 66 ppm
60 minutes 0.04 ppm 1.6 ppm 52 ppm
4 hours 0.04 ppm 0.4 ppm 13 ppm
8 hours 0.04 ppm 0.2 ppm 6.5 ppm
(NAC/NRC, 2023)

ERPGs (Emergency Response Planning Guidelines)

Chemical ERPG-1 ERPG-2 ERPG-3
Chloroacetyl Chloride (79-04-9) 0.05 ppm star-in-circle icon indicates that odor should be detectable near ERPG-1. 0.5 ppm 10 ppm
star-in-circle icon indicates that odor should be detectable near ERPG-1.
(AIHA, 2022)

PACs (Protective Action Criteria)

Chemical PAC-1 PAC-2 PAC-3
Chloroacetyl chloride (79-04-9) 0.04 ppm 1.6 ppm 52 ppm
(DOE, 2018)

Regulatory Information

EPA Consolidated List of Lists

No regulatory information available.

CISA Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS)

RELEASE THEFT SABOTAGE
Chemical of Interest CAS Number Min Conc STQ Security
Issue
Min Conc STQ Security
Issue
Min Conc STQ Security
Issue
Chloroacetyl chloride 79-04-9 ACG APA sabotage/ contamination

(CISA, 2007)

OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard List

No regulatory information available.

Alternate Chemical Names