Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate: Physical Features, Safety, and Chemical Insights

What Is Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate?

Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate comes from the family of alkyl esters with a structure that gives it value as a chemical intermediate. The formula, C6H11ClO2, includes a tert-butyl group bonded to a chloroacetate core, generating a clear distinction from simpler esters. This compound contains chlorine, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, with an empirical makeup reflecting a calculated molecular mass of about 150.60 g/mol. In day-to-day handling, people see it as a colorless to slightly yellow liquid, sometimes encountered in crystalline or low-melting solid states, depending on storage conditions. Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate generally presents itself in liquid form at room temperature; however, exposure to cold can solidify the material, forming small pearls or crystalline flakes. This adaptability between phases supports its role in lab-scale settings and industrial production lines.

Chemical Structure and Properties

Looking at its atomic structure, Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate bears a central carbon attached to a chlorine atom and an ester functionality. The tert-butyl group branches out, creating steric hindrance, affecting both reactivity and solubility. Density numbers register near 1.06 g/cm³ at 20°C, so the liquid feels only a bit heavier than water. The boiling point reports about 142-144°C under normal pressure, while melting temperature sits around -24°C, giving it a wide working range. Its appearance in the lab drew my attention years ago. This chemical unfolds a strong, sharp odor, common to chlorinated organic esters, and its volatility means even a small spill quickly makes itself known with fumes. Handling in open air or poorly ventilated rooms irritates the nose.

Material Appearance: Liquid, Powder, Flake, and Pearl Forms

Most suppliers keep Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate as a stable liquid, but storage in cool or dry conditions can sometimes produce thin solid plates or pearl-like beads. Fine white crystals might appear if temperature drops well below freezing. These physical states all point back to one robust central structure, but the mode of packaging depends on the end-use. From my experience, the liquid offers the quickest dosing for reaction vessels, although weighing powder or crystalline forms increases long-term storage stability and simplifies shipment for some chemical plants. The versatility of its state—liquid, crystal, or powder—lets manufacturers fine-tune their supply chains for efficiency and safety.

Specification and HS Code

Specifying Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate means knowing the purity, water content, and contaminant profile. Laboratories measure purity by gas chromatography, with most high-quality lots hitting 98% or more, while traces of tert-butanol or chloroacetic acid show up in minor percentages after long storage. Industrial users want repeatable, trustworthy specs to avoid yield loss in larger syntheses for pharmaceuticals or agrochemical ingredients. The globally recognized HS Code for this material usually falls under 2915.90, covering carboxylic acid derivatives, making customs classification relatively straightforward. Clear documentation on import and export paperwork simplifies regulatory paths, but end-users always check for extra national labeling requirements due to the involvement of chlorine on the molecule.

Safe Handling: Risks, Hazards, and Storing Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate

Working with Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate means facing hazards inherent to chlorinated organics. The compound acts as an irritant, causing burning sensations if it touches skin, eyes, and especially mucous membranes. I learned quickly to keep gloves and goggles when filling measuring bottles, as even brief exposure brought unpleasant stinging and skin redness. Breathing the vapors isn’t recommended. Prolonged exposure can provoke coughing, nausea, and headaches. The chemical falls under harmful or hazardous labels for both shipping and laboratory storage. Proper ventilation makes a clear difference in safety, as does storing material in tightly sealed amber bottles located away from acids, bases, and incompatible solvents. Material safety data sheets stress the importance of eyewash stations and spill neutralizing agents close by, especially if handling in bulk or pouring into reaction tanks. Flammability risk stays low, but its moderate volatility and irritating vapor call for primary containment and prompt clean-up of accidental releases.

Chemical Uses and Sourcing as a Raw Material

Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate fills a niche in chemical reactions that create more specialized molecules, particularly where selective alkylation or esterification steps build up to high-value pharmaceutical products. Makers of crop protection agents and specialty chemicals pick this material for its reliable reactivity and well-understood downstream chemistry. The presence of the chloro and ester groups lets it participate in nucleophilic substitution, transesterification, and even some polymerization schemes. My work in synthetic protocols often brought it out as a coupling partner, thanks to its ready response under standard catalytic cycles. Its role as a raw material means consistency in property and formula has a direct effect on finished product quality from batch to batch.

Environmental Impact and Solutions

Waste management comes up on every site visit where Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate stays in rotation. Disposal brings its own set of regulatory pain points—the chemical doesn’t break down easily once spilled into water or soil. Runoff from improper disposal threatens groundwater with toxic breakdown products. Incineration under strictly controlled conditions provides the best solution; the high-temperature approach destroys the organic backbone, leaving less hazardous byproducts that can be captured and managed. Using closed-loop systems to recover vapors and residues makes sense for any large-scale process. On a lab scale, neutralizing spills with sodium bicarbonate, followed by careful collection for certified waste handlers, reduces risk to people and environment. Focused training and clear safety signage always help minimize error rates.

Final Thoughts on Responsible Use

Moving and storing raw chemicals like Tert-Butyl Chloroacetate should never slide into complacency. Years spent overseeing chemical operations taught me respect for even apparently simple organic molecules. Every container, every label, and every procedure stacks up as a barrier between safe production and dangerous accidents. Routine checks on storage temperature, regular inventory turnover, and strict segregation from incompatibles offer more robust risk management than even the best written safety plans if taken as lived habits. As laboratories and factories keep this molecule in rotation, it pays to invest time in better PPE, improved training, and constant process improvements—none of which replace the duty to handle every transfer and measurement with constant vigilance. The chemical's power as a synthetic raw material only delivers its benefits when approached with knowledge, respect, and unbroken attention to detail.