ABSTRACT
H3C O CH3 Note: According to Sigma-Aldrich (2007), ethyl ether is stabilized with butylated hydroxytoluene (low ppm concentrations) or ethanol (1-2%) to prevent peroxide formation. CASRN: 60-29-7; DOT: 1155; DOT label: Flammable liquid; molecular formula: C4H10O; FW: 74.12; RTECS: KI5775000; Merck Index: 12, 3852 Physical state, color, and odor: Colorless, hygroscopic, volatile liquid with a sweet, pungent odor. Odor threshold concentration is 330 ppb (quoted, Keith and Walters, 1992). Melting point (°C): -116.2 (stable form, Weast, 1986) -123 (metastable form, Verschueren, 1983) Boiling point (°C): 34.65 (Fuangfoo et al., 1999) 34.43 (Boublik et al., 1984) Density (g/cm3): 0.79125 at 15 °C, 0.70205 at 30 °C (Huntress and Mulliken, 1941) 0.71361 at 20 °C (quoted, Riddick et al., 1986) 0.7076 at 25.00 °C (Kumar, 2000) 0.7083 at 25.00 °C (Fuangfoo et al., 1999) Diffusivity in water (x 10-5 cm2/sec): 0.86 at 20 °C using method of Hayduk and Laudie (1974) Flash point (°C): 9.5 (NIOSH, 1997) Lower explosive limit (%): 1.9 (NIOSH, 1997) Upper explosive limit (%): 36.0 (NIOSH, 1997) Heat of fusion (kcal/mol): 1.745 (Dean, 1987) Henry’s law constant (x 10-4 atm⋅m3/mol at 25 °C): 8.33 (Nielsen et al., 1994) 12.50 (Signer et al., 1969) Interfacial tension with water (dyn/cm at 20 °C): 10.70 (Harkins et al., 1920)
9.53 (NIOSH, 1997) Soil organic carbon/water partition coefficient, log Koc: Unavailable because experimental methods for estimation of this parameter for ethers are lacking in the documented literature. However, its high solubility in water suggests its adsorption to soil will be nominal (Lyman et al., 1982). Octanol/water partition coefficient, log Kow: 0.77 (quoted, Leo et al., 1971) 0.89 (shake flask-GLC, Hansch et al., 1975) 0.83 at 20.0 °C (shake flask-chemical reaction, Collander, 1951) Solubility in organics: Soluble in acetone (Weast, 1986). Miscible with lower aliphatic alcohols, benzene, chloroform, petroleum ether, and many oils (Windholz et al., 1983). Solubility in water: 0.632, 1.010, and 1.2 mol/L at 38, 20, and 25 °C, respectively (Fischer and Ehrenberg, 1948) 6.80 wt % at 20 °C (Palit, 1947) 9.01, 7.95, 6.87, and 6.03 wt % at 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C, respectively (volumetric, Bennett and
Philip, 1928) In wt %: 11.668 at 0 °C, 9.040 at 10 °C, 7.913 at 15 °C, 6.896 at 20 °C, 6.027 at 25 °C, 5.340 at
30 °C (shake flask-gravimetric, Hill, 1923) 64 g/kg at 25 °C (Butler and Ramchandani, 1935) 0.80 mol/L at 25 °C (Hine and Weimar, 1965) Vapor density: 3.03 g/L at 25 °C, 2.55 (air = 1) Vapor pressure (mmHg): 439.8 at 20 °C (Windholz et al., 1983) 537 at 25 °C (Butler and Ramchandani, 1935) Environmental fate: Photolytic. The rate constant for the reaction of ethyl ether and OH radicals in the atmosphere at 300 K is 5.4 x 10-12 cm3/molecule⋅sec (Hendry and Kenley, 1979). Chemical/Physical. The atmospheric oxidation of ethyl ether by OH radicals in the presence of nitric oxide yielded ethyl formate as the major product. Minor products included formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide. In the absence of nitric oxide, the products were ethyl formate and acetaldehyde (Wallington and Japar, 1991). Ethyl ether will not hydrolyze (Kollig, 1993). Exposure limits: NIOSH REL: IDLH 1,900 ppm; OSHA PEL: TWA 400 ppm (1,200 mg/m3); ACGIH TLV: TWA 400 ppm, STEL 500 ppm (adopted). Symptoms of exposure: Narcotic at high concentrations and a mild irritant to eyes, nose, and skin (Patnaik, 1992) Toxicity: LC50 (14-d) for Poecilia reticulata 2,138 mg/L (Könemann, 1981).
