Substance profile
Methyl chloroacetate
Methyl chloroacetate is a liquid with a sweet pungent odor.
01 · Identification
What Methyl chloroacetate is
Methyl chloroacetate is a liquid with a sweet pungent odor. Its molecular formula is C3H5ClO2 and its molecular weight is 108.52 g/mol. It boils at 130 °C, melts at -32.3 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as corrosives.
02 · Identifiers
Methyl chloroacetate identifiers and molecular data
Methyl chloroacetate CAS number and EC number
Methyl chloroacetate molecular formula and molecular weight
03 · GHS classification
Methyl chloroacetate hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Methyl chloroacetate pictograms and signal word
Methyl chloroacetate hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flammable liquids GHS chapter 2.6 | Category 3 | H226 | GHS02 |
| Acute toxicity - oral GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 3 | H301 | GHS06 |
| Acute toxicity - inhalation GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 3 | H331 | GHS06 |
| Skin corrosion/irritation GHS chapter 3.2 | Category 2 | H315 | GHS07 |
| Serious eye damage/eye irritation GHS chapter 3.3 | Category 1 | H318 | GHS05 |
| Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure GHS chapter 3.8 | Category 3 | H335 | GHS07 |
Methyl chloroacetate hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H226 | Flammable liquid and vapour. |
| H331 | Toxic if inhaled. |
| H301 | Toxic if swallowed. |
| H335 | May cause respiratory irritation. |
| H315 | Causes skin irritation. |
| H318 | Causes serious eye damage. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Methyl chloroacetate. 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 Methyl chloroacetate
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 Methyl chloroacetate 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
Methyl chloroacetate precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 20 precautionary statements to Methyl chloroacetate. 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
Methyl chloroacetate 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 | метилов хлороацетат |
| Spanish español | Cloroacetato de metilo |
| Czech čeština | methyl-chloracetát |
| Danish dansk | methylchloracetat |
| German Deutsch | Methylchloracetat, Chloressigsäuremethylester |
| Estonian eesti | metüülkloroatsetaat |
| Greek ελληνικά | χλωροξικός μεθυλεστέρας χλωροξικό μεθύλιο |
| English English | methyl chloroacetate |
| French français | chloroacétate de méthyle |
| Croatian hrvatski | metil-kloracetat |
| Italian italiano | cloroacetato di metile metilcloroacetato |
| Latvian latviešu | metilhloracetāts |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | metilchloracetatas |
| Hungarian magyar | metil-klóracetát |
| Maltese Malti | kloroaċetat tal-metil |
| Dutch Nederlands | methylchlooracetaat |
| Polish polski | chlorooctan metylu ester metylowy kwasu chlorooctowego |
| Portuguese português | cloroacetato de metilo |
| Romanian română | cloroacetat de metil |
| Slovak slovenčina | metyl-chlóracetát |
| Slovenian slovenščina | metil kloroacetat |
| Finnish suomi | metyyliklooriasetaatti |
| Swedish svenska | metylkloracetat |
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
Methyl chloroacetate GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Methyl chloroacetate, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Methyl chloroacetate
- Flammable liquid and vapour.
- Toxic if inhaled.
- Toxic if swallowed.
- May cause respiratory irritation.
- Causes skin irritation.
- Causes serious eye damage.
- 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.
- Wash … thoroughly after handling.
- 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 ON SKIN:
- IF INHALED:
- IF IN EYES:
- Immediately call a POISON CENTER/doctor/…
- Get medical advice/attention.
- Rinse mouth.
- If skin irritation occurs:
- Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
- Wash with plenty of water/…
- Store in a well-ventilated place.
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Methyl chloroacetate in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Physical and chemical properties
Methyl chloroacetate 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.
Methyl chloroacetate boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 130 °C (266 °F) | HSDB | |
| 130 °C (266 °F) | at 760 mmHg | CAMEO | |
| 129.5 °C (265.1 °F) | ICSC |
Methyl chloroacetate melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -32.3 °C (-26.1 °F) | HSDB | |
| -32.22 °C (-26 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| -32.1 °C (-25.8 °F) | ICSC |
Methyl chloroacetate density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.2 g/cm³ | ICSC | |
| 1.236 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| 1.2337 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | CAMEO |
Methyl chloroacetate solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Miscible with alcohol, ether | HSDB | |
| In water, 4.6X10+4 mg/L at 20 °C | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| In water, 5.2 g/100 mL at 19.8 °C (5.2X10+4 mg/L) | at 19.8 °C | HSDB |
Methyl chloroacetate vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 16.54 mmHg | CAMEO | |
| 4.8754 mmHg | at 20 °C | ICSC | |
| 7.63 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Methyl chloroacetate flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 57.22 °C (135 °F) | HSDB | |
| 51.67 °C (125 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| 57 °C (134.6 °F) | ICSC |
Methyl chloroacetate autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 465 °C (869 °F) | CAMEO |
Methyl chloroacetate lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 7.5 % by volume | HSDB |
Methyl chloroacetate upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 18.5 % by volume | HSDB |
Methyl chloroacetate vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 1.24 (air = 1) | HSDB | |
| 3.7 (air = 1) | ICSC |
Methyl chloroacetate critical temperature and pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical temperature and pressure | 326.85 °C (620.3 °F) | HSDB |
Methyl chloroacetate corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | Corrosive | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
08 · Fire and explosion
Methyl chloroacetate 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.
Methyl chloroacetate fire potential
Flammable when exposed to heat or flame ...
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
09 · Handling and storage
Methyl chloroacetate storage and handling
Methyl chloroacetate safe storage
Fireproof. Separated from food and feedstuffs and incompatible materials. See Chemical Dangers.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Methyl chloroacetate storage conditions
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.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Methyl chloroacetate incompatible materials
... Can react vigorously with oxidizing materials.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Methyl chloroacetate reactivity
METHYL CHLOROACETATE is a halogenated ester. Esters react with acids to liberate heat along with alcohols and acids. Strong oxidizing acids may cause a vigorous reaction that is sufficiently exothermic to ignite the reaction products. Heat is also generated by the interaction of esters with caustic solutions. Flammable hydrogen is generated by mixing esters with alkali metals and hydrides.
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Methyl chloroacetate in the storage compatibility matrix →
10 · Transport
Methyl chloroacetate UN number and transport classification
Transport classification is a separate system from the GHS classification above. It decides how a package is marked and how a load may be carried; it does not follow from the workplace label, and the workplace label does not follow from it. The entries below are linked by CAS number, never by name.
Methyl chloroacetate under UN 2295 — shipping name, class and packing group
Europe · ADR 2025, Table A
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels (column 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| METHYL CHLOROACETATE | 6.1 | TF1 | I | |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 6.1 is “Toxic substances” (ADR 2.1.1.1).
United States · 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
| Proper shipping name (column 2) | Class or division | PG | Labels (column 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methyl chloroacetate | 6.1 | I | |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 6.1 is “Poisonous materials” (49 CFR 173.2).
11 · Questions
Methyl chloroacetate — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Methyl chloroacetate?
The CAS number of Methyl chloroacetate is 96-34-4. Its EC number is 202-501-1.
What is the chemical formula of Methyl chloroacetate?
The molecular formula of Methyl chloroacetate is C3H5ClO2 and its molecular weight is 108.52 g/mol.
What does a Methyl chloroacetate label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Methyl chloroacetate carries the pictograms Flame, Skull and crossbones and Corrosion and the signal word is Danger.
Is Methyl chloroacetate flammable?
Yes. CLP Annex VI assigns Methyl chloroacetate H226 — flammable liquid and vapour. The flash point reported for it is 57.22 °C (135 °F) (HSDB).
Is Methyl chloroacetate a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Methyl chloroacetate. Annex VI is a list of agreed classifications, not a list of substances found safe, so this is an absence of a classification rather than a clean bill of health.
What is the boiling point of Methyl chloroacetate?
The boiling point reported for Methyl chloroacetate is 130 °C (266 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Methyl chloroacetate?
The melting point reported for Methyl chloroacetate is -32.3 °C (-26.1 °F) (HSDB).
How should Methyl chloroacetate be stored?
CLP Annex VI assigns Methyl chloroacetate the storage statement P403. 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. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
Nearby
Substances next to Methyl chloroacetate
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