Record 1 of 1 18/8/1 at 13:37
Monograph number: 3844.
Title: Ethylene Glycol.
CAS Registry number: [107-21-1]
CAS name(s): 1,2-Ethanediol.
Molecular formula: C2H6O2;
Molecular weight: 62.07.
Percent Composition: C 38.70%, H 9.74%, O 51.55%.
Line Formula: HOCH2CH2OH.
Literature references: Prepd on a large scale by the hydration of ethylene oxide. Flowsheets:
Ullmann's Encyklopädie der technischen Chemie, 3 (3rd ed., 1953) p 137; M. Sittig, Organic Chemical
Process Encyclopedia (Noyes Dev. Corp., Park Ridge, N.J., 1967) p 265. Manuf from ethylene and
oxygen: Faith, Keyes & Clark's Industrial Chemicals, F. A. Lowenheim, M. K. Moran, Eds. (Wiley-
Interscience, New York, 4th ed., 1975) pp 397-402. Toxicity studies: Smyth et al., J. Ind. Hyg. Toxicol.
23, 259 (1941); Bornmann, Arzneimittel-Forsch. 4, 643 (1954). Monograph: G. O. Curme, F. Johnston,
Glycols (Reinhold, New York, 1952). GC/MS determn in plasma: C. Giachetti et al., Biomed. Environ.
Mass Spectrom. 18, 592 (1989). Review of toxicology and human exposure: Toxicological Profile for
Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol (USDHHS, PB98-101108, 1997) 250 pp.
Properties: Slightly viscous liq. Sweet taste. Poisonous! Do notswallow! Considerably hygroscopic:
Absorbs twice its weight of water at 100% relative humidity. d04 1.1274 . d10 20 30
4 1.1204 . d4 1.1135 . d4
1.1065 . One gallon weighs 9.3 lbs. Flash pt, open cup: 240F (115C). mp –13 . bp760 197.6 ; bp97
140 ; bp18 100 ; bp3.0 70 ; bp0.06 20 . n15 25
D 1.43312 ; nD 1.43063 .Viscosity in centipoises: 26 at 15; 21
at 20; 17.3 at 25. Dielectric constant at 20 and 150 meters wavelength: 38.66 esu. Dipole moment
2.20. Spec heat (20): 0.561 cal/g/C. Heat of formation –108.1 kcal/mol. Heat of fusion 44.7 cal/g.
Heat of vaporization 191 cal/g. Heat of soln –6.5 cal/g of soln at 17 when 37 parts are mixed with 63
parts H2O (w/w). Parachor 148.9 (theory 152.2). Surface tension at 20 = 48.4 dynes/cm. Miscible with
water, lower aliphatic alcohols, glycerol, acetic acid, acetone and similar ketones, aldehydes, pyridine
and similar coal tar bases. Slightly sol in ether (1:200). Practically insol in benzene and its homologs,
chlorinated hydrocarbons, petr ether, oils. Density and freezing point of ethylene glycol-water mixtures:
10.15% ethylene glycol by wt ( d20 20 , fp): 1.013 , –3.5; 20.44% ethylene glycol: 1.027 , –8; 29.88%
ethylene glycol: 1.040 , –15; 40.23% ethylene glycol: 1.054 , –24; 50.18% ethylene glycol: 1.067 , –
36; 58.37% ethylene glycol: 1.0770 , –48. LD50 in rats, guinea pigs ( g/kg ): 8.54 , 6.61 orally (Smyth)
; in mice ( ml/kg ): 13.79 orally (Bornmann) .
Density: d04 1.1274; d10 20 30
4 1.1204; d4 1.1135; d4 1.1065; d20
20
Boiling point: bp760 197.6; bp97 140; bp18 100; bp3.0 70; bp0.06 20
Melting Point: mp –13
Refraction index: n15 25
D 1.43312; nD 1.43063
Note: Caution: Potential symptoms of overexposure by ingestion are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain,
weakness; dizziness, stupor, convulsions, CNS depression. Direct contact may cause irritation of eyes,
nose, skin; skin sensitization. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140,
Copyright © 1999 by Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. All rights reserved.
