Safety data for tert-butyl methyl ether
The information on this web page is provided to help you to work safely, but it is intended to be an overview of hazards, not a replacement for a full Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). MSDS forms can be downloaded from the web sites of many chemical suppliers.
Toxicity data
Risk phrases
Safety phrases
[Return to Physical &
Theoretical Chemistry Lab. Safety home page.]
This information was last updated on November 6, 2009.
We have tried to make it as accurate and useful as possible,
but can take no responsibility for its use, misuse, or
accuracy. We have not verified
this information, and cannot guarantee that it is up-to-date.
Note also that the information on the PTCL Safety web site, where this page
was hosted, has been
copied onto many other sites, often without permission. If you have any
doubts about the veracity of the information that you are viewing, or have any queries,
please check the URL that your web browser displays for this page.
If the URL begins "http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/" the page
is maintained by the Safety Officer in Physical Chemistry at Oxford University.
If not, this page is a copy made by some other person and we have no responsibility
for it. General
Synonyms: methyl tert-butyl ether, MTBE, 2-methoxy-2-methylpropane,
butyl methyl ether, t-butyl methyl ether, TBME, tert-butoxymethane,
1,1-dimethylethyl methyl ether, methyl 1,1-dimethylethyl ether
Molecular formula: C5H12O
CAS No: 1634-04-4
EINECS No: 216-653-1
Annex I Index No: 603-181-00-X
Physical data
Appearance: 55.2 C
Melting point: -109 C
Boiling point:
Vapour density:
Vapour pressure: 245 mm Hg at 20 C
Density (g cm-3): 0.741
Flash point: -10 C
Explosion limits: 1.6 - 15.1%
Autoignition temperature:
Stability
Stable, but may form explosive peroxides in contact with air.
Extremely flammable - note low flash point. Incompatible with strong
oxidizing agents.
Toxicology
Possible carcinogen. May be harmful by inhalation, ingestion or through skin contact.
Skin irritant. Typical OEL 100 mg/m3. Typical STEL 75 ppm.
(The meaning of any abbreviations which appear in this section
is given
here.)
ORL-RAT LD50 4000 mg kg-1
IPN-MUS LD50 2400 mg kg-1
IHL-RAT LC50 23500 ppm.
(The meaning of any risk phrases which appear in this section is
given
here.)
R11 R38.
Transport information
(The meaning of any UN hazard codes which appear in this section
is given
here.)
UN No 2398. Packing group II. Hazard class 3.0.
Personal protection
Safety glasses, good ventilation. Take precautions against the
build-up of peroxides in storage; test before use.
(The meaning of any safety phrases which appear in this section
is given here.)
S16 S26 S36.