Substance profile
Trifluoroacetic acid
Trifluoroacetic acid is a liquid with a sharp biting odor.
01 · Identification
What Trifluoroacetic acid is
Trifluoroacetic acid is a liquid with a sharp biting odor. Its molecular formula is C2HF3O2 and its molecular weight is 114.02 g/mol. It boils at 72.4 °C, melts at -15.4 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as corrosives.
02 · Identifiers
Trifluoroacetic acid identifiers and molecular data
Trifluoroacetic acid CAS number and EC number
Trifluoroacetic acid molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for Trifluoroacetic acid
- trifluoroacetic acid . . . %
03 · GHS classification
Trifluoroacetic acid hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Trifluoroacetic acid pictograms and signal word
Trifluoroacetic acid hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute toxicity - inhalation GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 4 | H332 | GHS07 |
| Skin corrosion/irritation GHS chapter 3.2 | Category 1A or 1B or 1C | H314 | GHS05 |
| Hazardous to the aquatic environment - chronic GHS chapter 4.1 | Category 3 | H412 | — |
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.
Trifluoroacetic acid hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H332 | Harmful if inhaled. |
| H314 | Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. |
| H412 | Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Trifluoroacetic acid. 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 Trifluoroacetic acid
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 Trifluoroacetic acid 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
Trifluoroacetic acid precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 10 precautionary statements to Trifluoroacetic acid. 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.
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
Trifluoroacetic acid 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 | трифлуорооцетна киселина . . . % |
| Spanish español | Ácido trifluoroacético al … % |
| Czech čeština | trifluoroctová kyselina . . . % |
| Danish dansk | trifluoreddikesyre . . . % |
| German Deutsch | Trifluoressigsäure … % |
| Estonian eesti | trifluoroäädikhape … % |
| Greek ελληνικά | τριφθοροξικό οξύ . . . % |
| English English | trifluoroacetic acid . . . % |
| French français | acide trifluoroacétique à …% |
| Croatian hrvatski | trifluoroctena kiselina . . . % |
| Italian italiano | acido trifluoroacetico … % |
| Latvian latviešu | trifluoretiķskābe, … % |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | …% trifluoracto rūgštis |
| Hungarian magyar | trifluorecetsav . . . % |
| Maltese Malti | aċidu trifluworoaċetiku . . . % |
| Dutch Nederlands | trifluorazijnzuur . . . % |
| Polish polski | kwas trifluoroctowy … % |
| Portuguese português | ácido trifluoroacético a … % |
| Romanian română | acid trifluoroacetic . . . % |
| Slovak slovenčina | kyselina trifluóroctová . . . % |
| Slovenian slovenščina | trifluoroocetna kislina . . . % |
| Finnish suomi | trifluorietikkahappo . . . % |
| Swedish svenska | This edition has a typographic error here. The Swedish edition prints the placeholder and the per cent sign twice: "... % . %". Regulation (EU) 2018/669, OJ L 115, 4.5.2018, p. 252 trifluorättiksyra ... % . % |
One or more lines above are flagged. In those language editions the Regulation as published in the Official Journal prints something that the rest of the same row contradicts — a name belonging to a different entry, or the qualifier of a paired entry. Each flag cites the amending act and the Official Journal page, so the wording can be checked at source. The lines are reproduced as printed, because Art. 18(2) points at Annex VI and not at our reading of it; the note beside each one says what the row’s own EC and CAS numbers identify.
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
Trifluoroacetic acid GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Trifluoroacetic acid, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Trifluoroacetic acid
- Harmful if inhaled.
- Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
- Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
- Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
- Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- Avoid release to the environment.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF SWALLOWED:
- IF INHALED:
- Immediately call a POISON CENTER/doctor/…
- Call a POISON CENTER/doctor/… if you feel unwell.
- Do NOT induce vomiting.
- Dispose of contents/container to …
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Trifluoroacetic acid in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Trifluoroacetic acid health hazards and exposure limits
Trifluoroacetic acid hazard summary
Corrosive to skin; [Quick CPC] Corrosive to skin, eyes, and respiratory tract; Inhalation may cause pulmonary edema; [ICSC] A metabolite of halothane (anesthetic) and trifluoroethanol; Unlike trifluoroethanol, trifluoroacetic acid did not produce testicular toxicity in rats at similar doses; [REPROTOX] Causes dyspnea in inhalation lethal-concentration studies of mice and rats; Causes other liver changes in 10-day oral studies of mice; [RTECS] Harmful by inhalation; Causes severe burns; May cause liver damage; Inhalation of high concentration may cause chemical pneumonitis; [Aldrich MSDS] See Fluoroacetic acid.
Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Trifluoroacetic acid 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.
Trifluoroacetic acid boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 72.4 °C (162.3 °F) | HSDB | |
| 72 °C (161.6 °F) | ICSC | ||
| 71.1 °C (160 °F) | at 760 mmHg | DOE PAC |
Trifluoroacetic acid melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -15.4 °C (4.3 °F) | HSDB | |
| -15 °C (5 °F) | ICSC | ||
| -15.25 °C (4.6 °F) | DOE PAC |
Trifluoroacetic acid density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.5 g/cm³ | ICSC | |
| 1.531 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| 1.535 g/cm³ | at 25 °C | DOE PAC |
Trifluoroacetic acid solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Miscible with ether, acetone, ethanol, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, hexane. | HSDB | |
| In water, miscible at 20 °C | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| Solubility in water, g/100ml at 20 °C: 100 (very good) | at 20 °C | ICSC |
Trifluoroacetic acid vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 82.5068 mmHg | at 20 °C | ICSC |
| 110 mmHg | Haz-Map |
Trifluoroacetic acid vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 3.9 (air = 1) | ICSC |
Trifluoroacetic acid critical temperature and pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical temperature and pressure | 218.15 °C (424.7 °F) | HSDB |
Trifluoroacetic acid corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | Corrosive | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Trifluoroacetic acid 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.
Trifluoroacetic acid fire potential
Nonflammable
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
Trifluoroacetic acid storage and handling
Trifluoroacetic acid safe storage
Separated from strong bases, metals, oxidants and food and feedstuffs. Keep in a well-ventilated room. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Trifluoroacetic acid incompatible materials
A solution of 30% aqueous hydrogen peroxide in trifluoroacetic acid is useful for destructive oxidation of the aromatic ring in preference to the side chains as is usual with most oxidants. During work-up operations, the excess peroxide must be catalytically decomposed with manganese dioxide before removal of solvent to prevent explosions.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Trifluoroacetic acid reactivity
TRIFLUOROACETIC ACID is a strong acid; attacks many metals [Handling Chemicals Safely 1980. p. 935]. A 30% solution of hydrogen peroxide in trifluoroacetic acid is often used to destructively oxidize aromatic rings in preference to the side chains. Explosions have occurred, if the excess peroxide is not catalytically destroyed, prior to removal of solvent, [Tetrahedron Lett., 1977, 1703-1704]. The reduction of amides of trifluoroacetic acid with lithium aluminum hydride are dangerous at all phases of the process, explosions have occurred, [Chem. Eng. News, 1955, 33, 1368].
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Trifluoroacetic acid in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Transport
Trifluoroacetic acid 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.
Trifluoroacetic acid under UN 2699 — shipping name, class and packing group
Europe · ADR 2025, Table A
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels (column 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRIFLUOROACETIC ACID | 8 | C3 | I | |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 8 is “Corrosive 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trifluoroacetic acid | 8 | I | |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 8 is “Corrosive material” (49 CFR 173.2).
12 · Questions
Trifluoroacetic acid — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Trifluoroacetic acid?
The CAS number of Trifluoroacetic acid is 76-05-1. Its EC number is 200-929-3.
What is the chemical formula of Trifluoroacetic acid?
The molecular formula of Trifluoroacetic acid is C2HF3O2 and its molecular weight is 114.02 g/mol.
What does a Trifluoroacetic acid label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Trifluoroacetic acid carries the pictograms Corrosion and Exclamation mark and the signal word is Danger.
Is Trifluoroacetic acid flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns Trifluoroacetic acid 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.
Is Trifluoroacetic acid a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Trifluoroacetic acid. 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 Trifluoroacetic acid?
The boiling point reported for Trifluoroacetic acid is 72.4 °C (162.3 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Trifluoroacetic acid?
The melting point reported for Trifluoroacetic acid is -15.4 °C (4.3 °F) (HSDB).
Nearby
Substances next to Trifluoroacetic acid
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