Provenance

Reference data from EU CLP Annex VI and published regulations — verify against your supplier's SDS before use.

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Substance profile

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride is prisms, needles from sublimation and is odorless.

CAS 117-08-8 C8Cl4O3 285.9 g/mol Danger

01 · Identification

What Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride is

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride is prisms, needles from sublimation and is odorless. Its molecular formula is C8Cl4O3 and its molecular weight is 285.9 g/mol. It boils at 371 °C, melts at 255 °C, is slightly soluble in water.

Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger.

02 · Identifiers

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride identifiers and molecular data

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride CAS number and EC number

CAS number117-08-8
EC number204-171-4
Index number (CLP Annex VI)607-242-00-1

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride molecular formula and molecular weight

Molecular formulaC8Cl4O3
Molecular weight285.9 g/mol

03 · GHS classification

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride hazard classification

Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride pictograms and signal word

Signal wordDanger

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride hazard class and category

GHS hazard classes Tetrachlorophthalic… falls into
Hazard class Category From code Pictogram
Serious eye damage/eye irritation GHS chapter 3.3 Category 1 H318 GHS05
Respiratory sensitisation GHS chapter 3.4 Category 1 or 1A or 1B H334 GHS08
Skin sensitisation GHS chapter 3.4 Category 1 or 1A or 1B H317 GHS07
Hazardous to the aquatic environment - acute GHS chapter 4.1 Category 1 H400 GHS09
Hazardous to the aquatic environment - chronic GHS chapter 4.1 Category 1 H410 GHS09

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.

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride hazard statements (H-codes)

Hazard statements assigned to Tetrachlorophthalic…
CodeHazard statement
H318 Causes serious eye damage.
H334 May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled.
H317 May cause an allergic skin reaction.
H400 Very toxic to aquatic life.
H410 Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.

This page lists only the codes assigned to Tetrachlorophthalic…. 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 Tetrachlorophthalic…

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 Tetrachlorophthalic… 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

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride precautionary statements

CLP Annex VI assigns 11 precautionary statements to Tetrachlorophthalic…. 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.

Disposal

What has to happen to the contents and the empty container.

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

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride 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 тетрахлорофталов анхидрид
Spanish español Anhídrido tetracloroftálico
Czech čeština tetrachlorftalanhydrid
Danish dansk tetrachlorphthalsyreanhydrid
German Deutsch Tetrachlorphthalsäureanhydrid
Estonian eesti tetrakloroftaalanhüdriid
Greek ελληνικά τετραχλωροφθαλικός ανυδρίτης
English English tetrachlorophthalic anhydride
French français anhydride tétrachlorophtalique
Croatian hrvatski anhidrid tetraklorftalne kiseline
Italian italiano anidride tetracloroftalica
Latvian latviešu tetrahlorftalskābes anhidrīds
Lithuanian lietuvių tetrachlorftalio anhidridas
Hungarian magyar tetraklórftálsav-anhidrid
Maltese Malti anidride tetrakloroftaliku
Dutch Nederlands tetrachloorftaalzuuranhydride
Polish polski bezwodnik tetrachloroftalowy
Portuguese português anidrido tetracloroftálico
Romanian română anhidridă tetracloroftalică
Slovak slovenčina tetrachlórftalanhydrid
Slovenian slovenščina anhidrid tetrakloroftalne kisline
Finnish suomi tetraklooriftaalihappoanhydridi
Swedish svenska tetraklorftalsyraanhydrid

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

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride GHS label elements

Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Tetrachlorophthalic…, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.

GHS08 Health hazard pictogramGHS05 Corrosion pictogramGHS09 Environment pictogram

Danger

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride

  • Causes serious eye damage.
  • May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled.
  • May cause an allergic skin reaction.
  • Very toxic to aquatic life.
  • Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
  • Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
  • Contaminated work clothing should not be allowed out of the workplace.
  • Avoid release to the environment.
  • Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/
  • IF IN EYES:
  • Immediately call a POISON CENTER/doctor/
  • Get medical advice/attention.
  • If skin irritation or rash occurs:
  • Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
  • Collect spillage.
  • Dispose of contents/container to

Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity

Need this as an actual label? Open Tetrachlorophthalic… in the GHS label constructor →

07 · Health hazards

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride health hazards and exposure limits

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride hazard summary

Occupational asthma reported in workers manufacturing epoxy resins and plastics; [Malo] Produces the acid on reaction with water; A skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant; May cause skin sensitization and asthma; [ICSC] Causes kidney and blood changes in gavage studies of rats and lung changes in inhalation studies of rats; [EPA ChAMP] See ACID ANHYDRIDES.

Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases

08 · Physical and chemical properties

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride 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.

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride boiling point

Property Value Conditions Source
Boiling point 371 °C (699.8 °F) HSDB
371.11 °C (700 °F) sublimes, at 760 mmHg CAMEO

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride melting point

Property Value Conditions Source
Melting point 255 °C (491 °F) ICSC
255.75 °C (492.4 °F) range, midpoint shown HSDB
255.83 °C (492.5 °F) range, midpoint shown CAMEO

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride density

Property Value Conditions Source
Density 1.49 g/cm³ at 275 °C CAMEO

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride solubility

Property Value Conditions Source
Solubility SLIGHTLY SOLUBLE IN ETHER HSDB
SLIGHTLY SOL IN WATER HSDB
less than 1 mg/mL at 70 °F (NTP, 1992) at 21.11 °C CAMEO

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride flash point

Property Value Conditions Source
Flash point 362 °C (683.6 °F) ICSC

Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.

09 · Handling and storage

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride storage and handling

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride safe storage

Dry. Well closed.

Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride reactivity

TETRACHLOROPHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE reacts exothermically with water. This reaction is expected to be slow, but can become vigorous if local heating accelerates it. Reaction with water is accelerated by acids. Incompatible with acids, strong oxidizing agents, alcohols, amines, and bases.

Source: CAMEO Chemicals

Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Tetrachlorophthalic… in the storage compatibility matrix →

10 · Questions

Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride — frequently asked questions

What is the CAS number of Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride?

The CAS number of Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride is 117-08-8. Its EC number is 204-171-4.

What is the chemical formula of Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride?

The molecular formula of Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride is C8Cl4O3 and its molecular weight is 285.9 g/mol.

What does a Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride label have to show?

Under CLP Annex VI the label for Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride carries the pictograms Health hazard, Corrosion and Environment and the signal word is Danger.

Is Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride flammable?

CLP Annex VI assigns Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride no flammability hazard class. That is not a statement that it cannot burn: the harmonised list only records the hazards that were assessed for it. The flash point reported for it is 362 °C (683.6 °F) (ICSC).

Is Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride a carcinogen?

CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride. 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 Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride?

The boiling point reported for Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride is 371 °C (699.8 °F) (HSDB).

What is the melting point of Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride?

The melting point reported for Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride is 255 °C (491 °F) (ICSC).

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