CAS number
- 95-94-3
Molecular formula
- C6H3Cl4
Formula weight
- 215.9 g/mol
Family
- Chlorobenzenes
Compound properties list|
| Melting/boiling point | 139 °C | Solid |
| Relative density | 1.86 g/cm3 | Sinks in water |
| Vapour pressure | 0.005 mm Hg | Very low volatility |
| Vapour density | 0 | N/A |
| Solubility in water | 0.5 mg/L | Very low solubility |
| Henry's law constant | 1 x 10-3atm·m3/mol | Moderately volatile when dissolved |
| log Koc (Depending on soil or sediment characteristics) | 2.8 - 6.0* | Strong adsorption to organic matter |
At 20 0C, 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene is a solid with very low volatility and solubility.
Once dissolved, it is moderately volatile and adsorbs strongly to organic matter. When present in
the soil, it volatilizes and dissolves very slowly. In the dissolved phase,
1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene can reach the water table or drain into a waterway where it will be
diluted before partially volatilizing. Fragments of 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene can also be carried
into a waterway and deposited at the bottom where they will dissolve very slowly. Once the source
has been removed, the adsorbed phase will take a long time to disappear, liberating contamination in
either the gaseous or dissolved state.. The resulting plumes (gaseous and dissolved) are generally
small in size.
In Canada, 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene is considered "toxic", as defined under Paragraph
64(a) of CEPA 1999, and has been added to Schedule 1.
1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene is not currently produced or used in its pure form in Canada
nor is there any current domestic commercial demand for 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene. Formerly, it
could be found in dielectric fluids where it was used to top up polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)
transformers and in dyestuff carriers. These applications have either been discontinued (dye
carriers) or are being phased out (dielectric fluids). A possible source of release may include
dielectric PCB material still in use. 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene may be generated when organic
compounds are burned or exposed to a large source of energy in the presence of a chlorine
source.
Other possible uses include insecticides, intermediates in herbicide and defoliant production,
and as an additive for moisture resistance.
