Substance profile
1,2-Dichloropropane
1,2-Dichloropropane is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor.
01 · Identification
What 1,2-Dichloropropane is
1,2-Dichloropropane is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor. Its molecular formula is C3H6Cl2 and its molecular weight is 112.98 g/mol. It boils at 96.7 °C, melts at -100 °C, is miscible with water.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
02 · Identifiers
1,2-Dichloropropane identifiers and molecular data
1,2-Dichloropropane CAS number and EC number
1,2-Dichloropropane molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for 1,2-Dichloropropane
- propylene dichloride
03 · GHS classification
1,2-Dichloropropane hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
1,2-Dichloropropane pictograms and signal word
1,2-Dichloropropane hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flammable liquids GHS chapter 2.6 | Category 2 | H225 | GHS02 |
| Acute toxicity - oral GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 4 | H302 | GHS07 |
| Acute toxicity - inhalation GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 4 | H332 | GHS07 |
| Carcinogenicity GHS chapter 3.6 | Category 1A or 1B | H350 | GHS08 |
Where two values are shown with “or”, the hazard statement is shared by more than one category or by more than one class, and the code alone does not say which. H272, for example, belongs to oxidising liquids and to oxidising solids — the physical state decides. The binding answer for a specific entry is in the CLP Annex VI table itself.
1,2-Dichloropropane hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H225 | Highly flammable liquid and vapour. |
| H350 | May cause cancer <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
| H332 | Harmful if inhaled. |
| H302 | Harmful if swallowed. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to 1,2-Dichloropropane. The full reference lives on the hazard statements hub, the precautionary statements hub and the GHS pictograms hub.
Safety Data Sheet
Getting an SDS for 1,2-Dichloropropane
A Safety Data Sheet is written for a product, not for a substance: the supplier of the grade you actually buy issues it, so two suppliers of 1,2-Dichloropropane issue two different sheets. That is why there is no single authoritative SDS for a substance to download — what there is, is the job of collecting the sheets for the products you hold and keeping them current as suppliers revise them.
04 · Precautionary statements
1,2-Dichloropropane precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 16 precautionary statements to 1,2-Dichloropropane. They are grouped the way a label groups them: what to do before handling, what to do when something has already happened, how to store it and how to dispose of it.
Prevention
What to do before and during handling so the hazard never happens.
Response
What to do once exposure, spillage or fire has already happened.
Reading the notation. … is a blank the supplier fills in — not a truncated sentence.· [square brackets] mark a part printed only when it applies.
05 · Names in the regulation
1,2-Dichloropropane name in 23 EU languages
CLP Annex VI Part 3 is published in every language edition of the regulation, and the identification column is written out in each of them. Nothing below is translated by us: each line is the name as that edition prints it. Under Art. 18(2) the substance name from Annex VI is a lawful product identifier, so this is the wording to put on a label going to that market — and where the cell lists several designations, any one of them qualifies.
| Language | Name in CLP Annex VI Part 3 |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian български | 1,2-дихлоропропан Пропиленов дихлорид |
| Spanish español | 1,2-dicloropropano dicloruro de propileno |
| Czech čeština | 1,2-dichlorpropan propylendichlorid |
| Danish dansk | 1,2-dichlorpropan propylendichlorid |
| German Deutsch | 1,2-Dichlorpropan Propylendichlorid |
| Estonian eesti | 1,2-dikloropropaan propüleendikloriid |
| Greek ελληνικά | 1,2-διχλωροπροπάνιο διχλωριούχο προπυλένιο |
| English English | 1,2-dichloropropane propylene dichloride |
| French français | 1,2-dichloropropane dichlorure de propylène |
| Croatian hrvatski | 1,2-dikloropropan propilen diklorid |
| Italian italiano | 1,2-dicloropropano dicloropropano (dicloruro di propilene) |
| Latvian latviešu | 1,2-dihlorpropāns propilēndihlorīds |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | 1,2-dichlorpropanas propilendichloridas |
| Hungarian magyar | 1,2-diklórpropán propilén-diklorid |
| Maltese Malti | 1,2-dikloropropan diklorur tal-propilen |
| Dutch Nederlands | 1,2-dichloorpropaan propyleendichloride |
| Polish polski | 1,2-dichloropropan dichlorek propylenu |
| Portuguese português | 1,2-dicloropropano dicloreto de propileno |
| Romanian română | 1,2-diclorpropan diclorură de propilen |
| Slovak slovenčina | 1,2-dichlórpropán propyléndichlorid |
| Slovenian slovenščina | 1,2-dikloropropan propilen diklorid |
| Finnish suomi | 1,2-diklooripropaani propyleenidikloridi |
| Swedish svenska | 1,2-diklorpropan propylendiklorid |
All 23 language editions of Annex VI carry this entry. Irish is the twenty-fourth official EU language and has no line here for a different reason: no consolidated CLP text has ever been published in Irish, so there is no Irish edition of Annex VI to quote a name from. Source: consolidated CLP, CELEX 02008R1272, language editions. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu — only the electronic Official Journal of the European Union is authentic.
06 · Label elements
1,2-Dichloropropane GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for 1,2-Dichloropropane, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
1,2-Dichloropropane
- Highly flammable liquid and vapour.
- May cause cancer <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>.
- Harmful if inhaled.
- Harmful if swallowed.
- Obtain special instructions before use.
- Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
- Keep container tightly closed.
- Use explosion-proof [electrical/ventilating/lighting/…] equipment.
- Use only non-sparking tools.
- Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
- Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF SWALLOWED:
- IF INHALED:
- IF exposed or concerned:
- Call a POISON CENTER/doctor/… if you feel unwell.
- Get medical advice/attention.
- Rinse mouth.
- Store in a well-ventilated place.
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open 1,2-Dichloropropane in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
1,2-Dichloropropane health hazards and exposure limits
1,2-Dichloropropane hazard summary
1,2-Dichloropropane is a colorless, flammable liquid with a chloroform-like odor. It is moderately soluble in water and readily evaporates into air. It does not occur naturally in the environment. 1,2-Dichloropropane production in the United States has declined over the past 20 years. It was used in the past as a soil fumigant, chemical intermediate and industrial solvent and was found in paint strippers, varnishes, and furniture finish removers. Most of these uses were discontinued. Today, almost all of the 1,2-dichloropropane is used as a chemical intermediate to make perchloroethylene and several other related chlorinated chemicals.
Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
1,2-Dichloropropane carcinogenicity classification
Under the conditions of these 2-year gavage studies, there was no evidence of carcinogenicity for male F344/N rats receiving 62 or 125 mg/kg. For female rats there was equivocal evidence of carcinogenicity in that 250 mg/kg 1,2-dichloropropane caused a marginally increased incidence of adenocarcinomas in the mammary gland; these borderline malignant lesions occurred concurrent with decreased survival and reduced body weight gain. There was some evidence of carcinogenicity for male and female B6C3F1 mice exposed to 1,2-dichloropropane, as indicated by increased incidences of hepatocellular neoplasms, primarily adenomas.
Source: US National Toxicology Program · TR-263: Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of 1,2-Dichloropropane (Propylene Dichloride) (CASRN 78-87-5) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Gavage Studies) (1986 )
Evaluation: There is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of 1,2-dichloropropane. 1,2-Dichloropropane causes cancer of the biliary tract (confirmed as cholangiocarcinoma) ... There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of 1,2-dichloropropane. Overall evaluation: 1,2-Dichloropropane is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1).
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
An IARC group and a CLP classification answer different questions. IARC judges whether the evidence for cancer in humans is strong enough; CLP Annex VI is the legally binding EU classification. A substance can carry one and not the other.
1,2-Dichloropropane occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PEL | 75.0 [ppm] | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| PEL | 75 ppm (350 mg/m³) | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| PEL | TWA 75 ppm (350 mg/m3) See Appendix G | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| REL | Ca See Appendix A | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| IDLH | 400 ppm ; A potential occupational carcinogen. (NIOSH, 2024) | CAMEO Chemicals |
| IDLH | 400.0 [ppm] | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| IDLH | 400 ppm; NIOSH considers propylene dichloride to be a potential occupational carcinogen. | Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) |
These are United States values. The European Union sets its own indicative and binding limits, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation — not the one shown here.
08 · Physical and chemical properties
1,2-Dichloropropane properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
1,2-Dichloropropane boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 96.67 °C (206 °F) | NIOSH | |
| 96 °C (204.8 °F) | ICSC |
1,2-Dichloropropane melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -100.4 °C (-148.7 °F) | HSDB | |
| -100.56 °C (-149 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| -100 °C (-148 °F) | CAMEO |
1,2-Dichloropropane density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.16 g/cm³ | NIOSH | |
| 1.158 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | CAMEO | |
| 1.159 g/cm³ | at 25 °C | HSDB |
1,2-Dichloropropane solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Sol in alcohol, ether, benzene and chloroform | HSDB | |
| Miscible with org solvents | HSDB | ||
| In water, 2,800 mg/l @ 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
1,2-Dichloropropane vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 40 mmHg | NIOSH | |
| 40 mmHg | at 19.39 °C | CAMEO | |
| 53.3 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB |
1,2-Dichloropropane flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 15.56 °C (60 °F) | HSDB |
1,2-Dichloropropane autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 557.22 °C (1035 °F) | HSDB | |
| 557 °C (1034.6 °F) | ICSC |
1,2-Dichloropropane lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 3.4 % by volume | HSDB |
1,2-Dichloropropane upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 14.5 % by volume | HSDB |
1,2-Dichloropropane vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 3.9 (air = 1) | HSDB |
1,2-Dichloropropane odor threshold
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odor threshold | ... Human subjects described the odor as "strong" at 130 to 190 ppm & "not noticeable" at 15 to 23 ppm. | HSDB | |
| Odor Threshold Low: 0.26 [ppm] | Haz-Map | ||
| Odor Threshold High: 0.52 [ppm] | Haz-Map |
1,2-Dichloropropane corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | ... It will attack some forms of plastics, rubber, & coatings. | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
1,2-Dichloropropane fire and explosion behaviour
These are descriptions rather than measured values, so they are kept out of the table above and quoted here with the source that reported them.
1,2-Dichloropropane fire potential
DESPITE LOW FLASH POINT IT DOES NOT CATCH FIRE READILY IN INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
1,2-Dichloropropane storage and handling
1,2-Dichloropropane safe storage
Fireproof. Provision to contain effluent from fire extinguishing. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
1,2-Dichloropropane incompatible materials
Contact with ... strong acids may cause decomposition. ... With strong oxidizing agents may cause fires or explosions.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
1,2-Dichloropropane reactivity
1,2-DICHLOROPROPANE reacts with strong oxidizers and strong acids. It also reacts with aluminum. When confined, this reaction can lead to an explosion. It is incompatible with bases and aluminum alloys. It will attack some forms of plastics, rubber and coatings. (NTP, 1992)
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check 1,2-Dichloropropane in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Questions
1,2-Dichloropropane — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of 1,2-Dichloropropane?
The CAS number of 1,2-Dichloropropane is 78-87-5. Its EC number is 201-152-2.
What is the chemical formula of 1,2-Dichloropropane?
The molecular formula of 1,2-Dichloropropane is C3H6Cl2 and its molecular weight is 112.98 g/mol.
What does a 1,2-Dichloropropane label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for 1,2-Dichloropropane carries the pictograms Flame, Exclamation mark and Health hazard and the signal word is Danger.
Is 1,2-Dichloropropane flammable?
Yes. CLP Annex VI assigns 1,2-Dichloropropane H225 — highly flammable liquid and vapour. The flash point reported for it is 15.56 °C (60 °F) (HSDB).
Is 1,2-Dichloropropane a carcinogen?
Yes. CLP Annex VI classifies 1,2-Dichloropropane as a category 1A or 1B carcinogen and assigns it H350: may cause cancer. IARC places it in Group 1: carcinogenic to humans.
What is the exposure limit for 1,2-Dichloropropane?
The US occupational exposure limit reported for 1,2-Dichloropropane is 75.0 [ppm] (Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases). Limits differ by country: the EU sets its own indicative and binding values, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation.
What is the boiling point of 1,2-Dichloropropane?
The boiling point reported for 1,2-Dichloropropane is 96.67 °C (206 °F) (NIOSH).
What is the melting point of 1,2-Dichloropropane?
The melting point reported for 1,2-Dichloropropane is -100.4 °C (-148.7 °F) (HSDB).
How should 1,2-Dichloropropane be stored?
CLP Annex VI assigns 1,2-Dichloropropane the storage statement P403.
Nearby
Substances next to 1,2-Dichloropropane
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