2-Phenoxyethanol

Product Details

CasNo： 122-99-6

MF： C8H10O2

Appearance： liquid

Delivery Time： 15 days

Packing： 200kg/drum

Purity： 99%

• Basic Information
  • Alias: 2 - Phenoxyethanol, β - Hydroxyethyl phenyl ether, Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, etc.
  • Molecular Formula: C?H??O?
  • Molecular Weight: 138.16
  • Appearance: At room temperature, it is a colorless oily liquid with a faint aromatic odor.
  • Solubility: Slightly soluble in water, easily soluble in ethanol, diethyl ether, chloroform, and sodium hydroxide.
• Physical and Chemical Properties
  • Physical Properties: The density is 1.107g/cm³ (25℃), the melting point is 11 - 13℃, the boiling point is 245.2℃ under normal pressure, the refractive index is 1.534 (20°C). Its solubility in water at 20℃ is 24g/100g, and the oil - water partition coefficient logP is 1.16. The vapor pressure of phenoxyethanol at 25℃ is 0.007mmHg, and the viscosity is 20.5cSt.
  • Chemical Properties: It is relatively stable at room temperature. With a hydroxyl group, it can undergo esterification, sulfonylation, halogenation and other reactions. The flash point is 121.11°C, and the auto - ignition temperature is 500℃. It is a flammable liquid, and the explosion limit is 1.4% - 9.0% (V). The heat of combustion is 958kcal/mol. Its dissociation constant pKa is 15.10 at 25°C. When dissolved in water at a concentration of 10g/L at 23℃, the pH value is 7.
• Application Fields
  • Detergents: It is a highly efficient, safe, and low - toxicity preservative, which has antibacterial and bactericidal effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Gram - positive bacteria, and Gram - negative bacteria. It is highly stable in soap, can remove oil, clean the skin, inhibit bacteria, and remove odor. It has no effect on the activity of enzymes in washing powder. In hair conditioners and shampoos, it can inhibit the growth of scalp microorganisms, preventing itching and putrefaction.
  • Cosmetics: It can prevent the formation of acne and is often added to lipsticks, mascaras, nail polishes, etc. It can enhance solubility and bactericidal ability, and can also be used as a solvent to dissolve other fat - soluble preservatives. The maximum limited concentration of phenoxyethanol in cosmetics is 1%.
  • Medical Uses: It is a preservative that can be added to drugs, such as antibiotic ointments, ear drops, and vaccines. Made into a 2.2% solution or 2% cream, it can be used to treat surface wounds, burns, or abscesses infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Its derivatives, when used in combination with cycloic acid and zinc undecylenate, can treat skin infections.
  • Fish Anesthetic: It can make fish calm during transportation, spawning induction, and other operations, reduce their activity, and decrease oxygen consumption, facilitating the operation.
  • Others: It can be used as an organic synthesis raw material, a coating monomer, and a synthetic plasticizer, etc. Its esters are perfume fixatives, bactericides, and insect - repellents. The product of its esterification with succinic anhydride can be used for dyeing polyester fibers under high - temperature and high - pressure conditions.
• Preparation Methods
  • Reduction of Phenoxyacetic Acid: Phenoxyethanol can be prepared by reducing phenoxyacetic acid with metal hydrides or biological enzymes in a suitable solvent. Commonly used metal hydride reducing agents include lithium aluminum hydride and sodium borohydride.
  • Synthesis from Phenol and Chloroethanol: Under alkaline and high - temperature conditions, phenol reacts with chloroethanol to obtain phenoxyethanol. However, this method will produce a large amount of phenol - containing wastewater and has high energy consumption. An appropriate phase - transfer catalyst needs to be used, and the industrial - grade crude product also needs to be purified.
  • Synthesis from Phenol and Ethylene Oxide: It is prepared by the gas - liquid reaction of phenol and ethylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst. The reaction product usually contains various impurities, and the crude product needs to be refined by fractional distillation.
  • Synthesis from Phenol and Ethylene Carbonate: It is prepared by the reaction of phenol and ethylene carbonate under the action of a catalyst at high temperature. Commonly used catalysts include alkali metal or alkaline - earth metal halides, hydroxides, ammonium - based catalysts, etc.
• Safety Considerations
  • Storage Environment: It should be stored at ambient temperature, sealed in a container, and kept away from oxidizing substances.
  • Leakage Treatment: In case of liquid phenoxyethanol leakage, absorbent paper can be used to absorb the spilled liquid, and the absorbent paper and possibly contaminated items should be sealed in an air - tight plastic bag for final disposal. Finally, wash the contaminated surface with soapy water.
  • Health Hazards: Swallowing is harmful to the human body and can cause serious eye irritation. Short - term contact will irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, and may affect the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system, leading to functional impairment. Long - term exposure will make the skin dry or cracked, and lead to central nervous system functional impairment.