© 2026 Nanjing Finechem Holdings Co., Ltd,
All Right Reserved
Name: Acetone Dimethyl Acetal
CAS Number: 534-15-6
Synonyms: 2,2-Dimethoxypropane
Appearance: Clear, colorless liquid with a sharp, sweet odor recognizable from a distance. Use of the correct name makes all the difference, especially if your workplace shelves tend to collect half-finished bottles with mystery labels. Having been around a few shared labs, nothing causes confusion like a shelf full of “unknown” containers.
Flammable: Catches fire easily, so that bottle near the heat source leads straight to trouble.
Irritant: Vapors can sting the nose and eyes; skin contact may lead to irritation or redness.
Health Risk: Inhaling concentrated vapors for more than a few seconds can bring on headaches, dizziness, or nausea; longer exposure is not worth risking. Respecting these hazards is not just for safety posters—just a splash across your wrist brings home what those warnings mean.
Component: 2,2-Dimethoxypropane, typically above 99%.
Impurities: Trace acetone, methanol. These add extra flammable risk, which shows up most clearly if a spill evaporates quickly or brings a powerful odor. Many chemists I know are always careful when handling bulk solvents due to surprise cross-contamination, something that happens even in the cleanest labs.
Inhalation: Move straight to fresh air as soon as you sense the odor or feel your chest tighten.
Skin Contact: Wash with lots of water and soap, don’t just wipe off with a paper towel. Trust me: waiting to wash leads to burning sensations that linger.
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes gently for at least fifteen minutes. A few drops in the eye stings far more than expected.
Ingestion: Medical attention is necessary. Swallowing anything with a chemical odor almost always brings regrets, and professional help beats home remedies.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Foam, carbon dioxide, dry chemical, never water jets—spattering burning liquid causes chaos.
Specific Hazards: Vapor forms explosive mixtures with air, worse near ignition sources like heat lamps or open flames.
Protective Equipment: Personal protective gear, self-contained breathing apparatus, and, more importantly, not standing between the fire and the only door. Seen more than one panicked rush during safety drills.
Personal Precautions: Good ventilation, proper gloves, goggles; avoid breathing vapors.
Environmental Precautions: Prevent entry to drains or soil—trace amounts can travel far, especially in lab basements prone to flooding.
Cleanup Methods: Use absorbent materials like sand or vermiculite. A careless swipe with paper towels creates streaks that vaporize into the air, explaining why my university had chemical trays for everything.
Handling: Work only in well-ventilated areas or under fume hoods, keep sources of ignition far away.
Storage: Store tightly closed in dry, cool spots; sunlight and heat heighten risks of fire or vapor. I’ve seen storerooms where bottles sat half in sunlight—no one’s favorite scenario.
Separation: Keep away from acids, oxidizers, bases, and foods. Fewer unpleasant surprises arise when there’s clear separation in your chemical cabinet.
Engineering Controls: Regularly maintained fume hood is worth every penny of the upfront cost.
Personal Protection: Chemical-resistant gloves, splash goggles, lab coats, and closed shoes; anyone who has tried to walk off a chemical splash in open shoes carries a reminder for life.
Respiratory Protection: Use a suitable respirator in poorly ventilated areas—nothing sours your day like a chemical fog headache.
Boiling Point: Around 83°C—encourages quick evaporation.
Flash Point: Roughly -5°C, so it goes up quickly if the room gets warm.
Density: Lower than water, floats on spills.
Solubility: Mixes with organic solvents, not with water.
Odor: Distinct, like fruit or solvent, instantly recognizable after a few exposures.
Appearance: Clear colorless liquid—appearance rarely hints at fire risk, which fools many new lab workers.
Stability: Stable sealed and cool, unpredictable if mixed with strong acids or bases.
Conditions to Avoid: Heat, flame, and anything that could provide a spark.
Incompatible Materials: Strong oxidizers, acids, alkalis. Anybody who ever ignored checklist rules about storage saw the aftermath, usually spelled out in ruined containers and angry safety officers.
Hazardous Decomposition: Methanol, acetone, and formaldehyde can form under fire.
Routes of Exposure: Inhalation, skin and eye contact, ingestion.
Acute Effects: Irritation, headaches, dizziness.
Chronic Effects: Prolonged inhalation affects the central nervous system; frequent repeated exposure wears down focus and wellbeing, something the seasoned lab techs will confirm.
Sensitization: Rare, but not impossible, and nothing motivates caution like that first personal reaction.
Aquatic Impact: Harmful to aquatic life if entry to water systems occurs.
Environmental Mobility: Volatile and not persistent, yet spills in the wrong place create issues fast.
Bioaccumulation: Not expected to accumulate, but rapid evaporation poses inhalational risks for anyone nearby.
Method: Incinerate in approved facilities, never pour down the sink. Local rules matter.
Precautions: Used absorbents, rags, or contaminated containers deserve the same treatment as a full bottle.
Regulation: Follow chemical waste procedures; staff training saves headaches and fines. On a few occasions, one bottle mishandled turned a routine lab disposal into a fire marshal’s investigation.
Classification: Flammable liquid, handled as such under major transport regulations.
Packing: Sealed, upright, properly labeled containers only.
Precautions: Avoid heat and open flames in loading areas. Too many accidents trace back to neglected loading bay safety routines.
Regulated by: OSHA, GHS, and other major workplace safety standards.
Labeling: Clear hazard pictograms required: flammable, health risk, environment (where applicable).
Compliance: Staying up-to-date brings fewer incidents, and keeps both people and workplaces safer. From what I’ve seen, real safety benefits appear only after rigorous, well-explained compliance training.
