o-Cresol CAS#95-48-7
Versatile Solubility: o-Cresol is miscible with alcohols, ethers, and chloroform, and soluble in alkaline solutions, allowing flexible use in various formulations.
Key Industrial and Pharmaceutical Intermediate: It serves as an important intermediate in the production of herbicides, disinfectants, pharmaceuticals, resins, plasticizers, fragrances, and dyes.
Analytical Utility: o-Cresol can be used as a reagent for chemical analysis, including testing for nitrates and arsenic.
Stable Physical Form for Handling: Available as a colorless liquid or crystal, o-Cresol is easy to store, handle, and incorporate into industrial processes.
o-Cresol, also known as o-cresol, is a colorless liquid or crystal. It is miscible with alcohols, ethers, and chloroform. It is soluble in sodium hydroxide solution and slightly soluble in water. It has a phenolic odor. o-Cresol is used in the manufacture of the herbicide 2,4-D, as a diluent for sebacic acid, a disinfectant, and a pharmaceutical intermediate. It is also used in the production of resins, plasticizers, fragrances, dyes, and as an analytical reagent for testing nitrates and arsenic.
| Melting point | 29-31 °C (lit.) |
| Boiling point | 191 °C (lit.) |
| Density | 1.048 g/mL at 25°C |
| Vapor density | 3.72 (vs air) |
| Vapor pressure | 0.3 mm Hg (20 °C) |
| Refractive index | 1.5361 |
| FEMA | 3480 | O-CRESOL |
| Flash point | 178°F |
| Storage conditions | under inert gas |
| Solubility | 20g/l |
| Form | Liquid or low melting point solid |
| Acidity coefficient (pKa) | 10.2(at 25℃) |
| Color | White to brown |
| Odor (Odor) | A 0.01% dipropylene glycol solution. It has a musty, phenolic plastic smell, a medicinal herbal smell, and a leathery smell. |
| pH value | 4.8 (20g/I, H2O, 20℃) |
| Odor threshold | 0.00028ppm |
| Fragrance type | phenolic |
| Biological origin | synthetic |
| Explosion limits | 1.47%, 148°F |
| Water solubility | 20 g/L (20 °C) |
| Merck | 142,579 |
| JECFA Number | 691 |
| BRN | 506917 |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0.34 at 5.25 °C, 0.61 at 10.00 °C, 1.57 at 20.00 °C, 2.33 at 25.00 °C (dynamic equilibrium system - GC, Feigen brugel et al., 2004a) |
| Exposure Limits | NIOSH REL: TWA 2.3 ppm (10 mg/m3), IDLH 250 ppm; OSHA PEL: TWA 5 ppm (22 mg/m3); ACGIH TLV: TWA A for all isomers 5 ppm (adopted). |
| Dielectric Constant | 5.8 (-5℃) |
| Stability | Stable, but sensitive to light and air. Flammable. Incompatible with oxidizers and alkalis. |
o-Cresol Uses:
It is an important intermediate in pesticide herbicides, also used in the synthesis of coumarins, and as a disinfectant, preservative, and diluent in the production of sebacic acid. It is used in organic synthesis, as well as as an analytical reagent and in organic synthesis. GB2760-1996 specifies it as a permitted food flavoring. It is used in the manufacture of the herbicide 2,4-D, as a diluent in the production of sebacic acid, and as a disinfectant and pharmaceutical intermediate. It is also used in the production of resins, plasticizers, fragrances, dyes, and as an analytical reagent for testing nitrates and arsenic. o-Cresol can be used in the synthesis of resins, and also in the production of the pesticide 2,4-D, as well as in the manufacture of disinfectants, fragrances, chemical reagents, and antioxidants in medicine.
