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Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide: An In-Depth Commentary

Historical Development

Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) carries a backstory stretching over sixty years, threading through the veins of organic chemistry and industrial innovation. Early descriptions in the 1950s highlighted its value for phase-transfer catalysis and organic synthesis, at a time when chemists scrambled for efficient basic reagents that did not bring tricky cations and excess water into delicate reactions. From its beginnings in research labs, TBAOH underwent gradual adoption across academic and industrial sectors, thanks to robust literature pointing to its unique ability to act both as a strong base and a phase transfer agent. TBAOH doesn't just fill the role of an alkali, but offers a non-metal counterion, which sidesteps many pitfalls found with sodium or potassium hydroxides. Over time, multiple manufacturing and purification approaches improved, nudging TBAOH into more mainstream use, especially as global interest in environmentally conscious and efficient chemical processes grew.

Product Overview

TBAOH stands out as a quaternary ammonium compound, made from a large tetrabutylammonium cation paired with the hydroxide ion. In the real world, TBAOH mostly appears as a concentrated aqueous solution—avoiding the handling headaches of its flammable, highly hygroscopic solid form. Many chemical suppliers offer TBAOH as a 1M or 40% solution in water, although research labs sometimes reach for DMSO or methanol solutions for specialty applications. Companies label TBAOH with trade names like Volamin, TBAH, or TBANO, and it goes by synonyms including tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide and N,N,N-tributylbutan-1-aminium hydroxide. All these choices fill the same need: a strong organic base where standard inorganic choices would fail or interfere.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Pure TBAOH forms a white crystalline solid, but it draws water from the air and dissolves rapidly. Its aqueous solutions are colorless to pale yellow and carry a sharp, ammoniacal odor. With a molecular weight around 257.48 g/mol, it packs a punch in basicity—raising pH in a heartbeat—and its four butyl arms grant broad solubility in both polar and nonpolar solvents. The melting point of the solid clocks in near 24°C, but it is rarely isolated or transported in this form. Most people working with TBAOH care about its behavior in solution: high electrical conductivity, potential for exothermic dilution, and prized compatibility for both organic and aqueous phases.

Technical Specifications & Labeling

Suppliers state active base concentration, water content, and sometimes halide or amine impurity levels on their TBAOH labels. HPLC, NMR, and titration results provide traceability for quality-sensitive applications, with storage instructions and hazard pictograms front and center. If you pull a bottle from the shelf, you expect warnings about skin burns, advice on personal protective equipment, and guidelines on shelf life—usually in tightly closed plastic containers, stored at room temperature but away from carbon dioxide, which may neutralize the base over months. Product grades range from technical to electronic or analytical, each tailored by purification level, helping users decide based on downstream needs—semiconductors, synthesis, or specialty processing.

Preparation Method

Manufacturers usually synthesize TBAOH by reacting tetrabutylammonium bromide or chloride with silver oxide or potassium hydroxide. The basic pathway takes a quaternary ammonium salt and swaps the halide out for a hydroxide. After stirring in water with the base, silver chloride drops out as a solid (if silver oxide is used), and the solution undergoes filtration, washing, and evaporation. Another commercial trick involves ion exchange resins charged with hydroxide, converting a tetrabutylammonium salt stream to TBAOH as the resin swaps its hydroxides for the halide or acid groups from the salt. Mastering these preparations means balancing purity, cost, and safety—silver scrap grows expensive, while resin-based processes often yield a consistent, halide-free product and minimize heavy-metal waste.

Chemical Reactions & Modifications

Most users reach for TBAOH to act directly as a strong Brønsted base, but it also flaunts phase-transfer abilities—a rare pairing. In organic synthesis, TBAOH triggers oxirane ring openings, deprotonates weakly acidic hydrogens, cleaves ester and silyl ether bonds, and helps extricate carboxylic acids or phenols from complex matrices. Its phase-transfer knack helps shuttle ions between organic and aqueous layers, making it a go-to additive for biphasic alkylations and condensations. Chemists sometimes modify TBAOH by swapping the solvent or using it alongside crown ethers to coax other cations into play. Other times, the tetraalkylammonium framework gets non-butyl replacements, dialing solubility or reactivity for specific processes. Researchers look at how substitutions on the quaternary ammonium structure adjust base strength, hydrophobicity, or reactivity—tuning for catalysis, separations, or new polymer applications.

Synonyms & Product Names

In catalogs, TBAOH may pop up under several aliases: tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide, tetrabutylammonium hydrate, TBANO, or Volamin. Certain regions favor proprietary brands, and each bottle sports a CAS number (2052-49-5) for universal tracking. Researchers expect to see these synonyms because the compound travels through synthetic and process literature under a sprawling set of names—cross-referenced for clarity in regulatory filings and patents. These naming conventions reflect the different paths TBAOH takes from synthesis to distribution across countries and industries.

Safety & Operational Standards

Handling TBAOH is no casual affair. Concentrated solutions burn skin and eat through nitrile gloves during extended contact. Eye and face protection matters in every lab and production room, with fume hoods often required to keep volatile byproducts or sprays at bay. TBAOH solutions corrode aluminum and react violently with acid chlorides or strong oxidizers, so equipment must resist both alkali and organic solvents—think fluoropolymer-lined vessels or glass. Regulatory bodies slot TBAOH as corrosive, requiring proper GHS labeling and documented safe handling steps in the workplace. If a spill hits the deck, teams need neutralizing agents and PPE at hand, with waste disposal routed through certified chemical collection, never down the drain. Ventilation matters, as the compound’s fumes can irritate airways. In my experience, rigorous safety drills and clear procedures make all the difference—especially in busy research labs where the temptation to cut corners lurks on hectic days.

Application Area

TBAOH’s influence sprawls across electronics, pharmaceuticals, analytical chemistry, and advanced materials. Chipmakers rely on its high purity to etch silicon wafers and strip photoresist cleanly in microfabrication. Synthetic chemists grab TBAOH as a non-metallic strong base for alkylations, eliminations, and Michael additions, since it leaves behind no residual minerals. Analytical labs use TBAOH to adjust pH without introducing sodium or potassium ions, which can obstruct high-sensitivity measurements. Polymer scientists turn to it for controlling solubility, preparing ionomers, and even initiating controlled radical polymerizations. Green chemistry researchers embrace TBAOH for its ability to drive reactions in water, reducing reliance on hazardous organic solvents. Academic groups keep finding niches in catalysis and supramolecular chemistry, further widening the spectrum of discoveries made possible by this versatile compound.

Research & Development

The story of TBAOH research is far from over. Recent papers probe its usefulness in ionic liquid synthesis, as an electrochemical medium, and in green catalysis. Some groups tweak the alkyl chain length to fine-tune phase-separation behavior or ionic conductivity. Work continues to find biodegradable or less toxic analogs for sustainable industries, not just scaling lab discoveries to pilot plants but also ensuring new derivatives launder out of waste streams or wastewater more easily. Instrumental studies measure how TBAOH interacts with metals, organic frameworks, and nanomaterials, sparking ideas for advanced batteries or separation resins. Grant money flows to projects testing TBAOH in novel energy storage systems and catalysis. Researchers share results in journals and at conferences, keeping the compound at the crossroads of practicality and innovation.

Toxicity Research

Like many strong bases, TBAOH brings toxicity risks on direct exposure—particularly for eyes, skin, and mucous membranes, where it can cause deep burns. Inhaled mists or splashes lead to respiratory distress, while oral ingestion becomes a medical emergency. Animal testing suggests that the tetrabutylammonium cation acts as a neurotoxin at high doses, with the hydroxide portion compounding corrosive effects. Chronic exposure links to liver and kidney impacts, though workplace controls keep human contact far below these levels in well-run labs. Environmental persistence of quaternary ammonium ions also raises bioaccumulation worries. Researchers screen wastewater from TBAOH processes for quaternary ammonium residues, prompting calls for greener, degradable analogs or efficient recycling. In many organizations, safety committees review toxicity data and push for transparent reporting and operator training, aiming to build both trust and accountability into chemical management.

Future Prospects

Looking ahead, TBAOH faces rising standards for purity, safety, and sustainability. Semiconductor growth drives demand for ever-cleaner grades, with zero metal and ultra-low carbon content, while greener synthetic chemistry motivates suppliers to tweak formulations for lower environmental footprint. Energy storage and catalysis researchers keep pushing for ionic liquids with tunable basicity and solubility, celebrating TBAOH’s quaternary framework as a launchpad for new molecule design. Regulatory shifts target persistent organic pollutants, so manufacturers and users must track the downstream legacy of quaternary ammonium residues. Innovations in membrane science, battery technology, and synthetic methodology will keep TBAOH and its analogs in the spotlight. In my experience, connecting the dots between careful hazard analysis, evolving application needs, and creative chemistry can shape a future where powerful reagents like TBAOH keep delivering breakthroughs while honoring safety and our global commitments to sustainability.




What is Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide used for?

In the Thick of Lab Work: What Makes TBAH Stand Out

Walk through any chemical research lab with a focus on organic synthesis or analytical chemistry and you’re bound to find a bottle labeled Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide. Most just call it TBAH. It’s clear, a little pungent, and, honestly, feels like the sort of material you’d mostly see used by people elbow-deep in glassware and reactions.

TBAH earns its reputation thanks to its role as a strong base but with a twist: it comes dissolved in water, methanol, or even acetonitrile. That means no fiddling with grains or having to dissolve big hunks of solid. It’s instantly ready to do the sort of work sodium hydroxide would, with less risk of precipitation and clogging up your reaction.

Pushing Reactions Forward in Organic Synthesis

Some bases just hit a wall when asked to dissolve in organic solvents. TBAH is different. The butyl arms on its nitrogen atom make it both fat and friendly to all sorts of solvents. In practice, that helps reactions run farther and faster. Back in grad school, we’d often need a phase transfer catalyst to shuttle ions between water and organic phases during alkylation reactions—TBAH made that chore almost simple.

Take the classic Williamson ether synthesis. TBAH lifts the yield way up by keeping your reactants dissolved and mobile, particularly when working with tough, greasy compounds. Lab manuals talk about efficiency, but TBAH saves hours hunting for lost product in the wrong layer.

Essential for Analytical Lab Work

Chromatographers and analysts keep TBAH close by for another reason. It tunes the pH and ionic strength of eluent streams in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This tool suits anyone tracing pharmaceutical compounds or checking trace elements. Many buffer systems with simple inorganic bases risk precipitation—and a blocked column means downtime nobody wants.

TBAH’s ionic heft helps stabilize certain analytes, so when the stakes hang on a single result or method validation, relying on something stable and well-characterized brings peace of mind. In QC testing, consistency rules. Using TBAH keeps one variable locked down.

Stepping Into Industry Applications

Firms dealing with advanced polymers and electronics pick TBAH for a cleaner, quicker route to get materials just right. You’ll see it cleaning circuit boards and etched glass, because it strips away organic residues without chewing up delicate surfaces.

It boosts reactions for making specialty chemicals, from surfactants to pharmaceuticals. Regulations call for well-documented starting materials and intermediates. With TBAH on hand, documentation becomes easier—industry reports and published safety studies back up its use.

Safety and Environmental Questions

No base this strong lets you cut corners on safety. TBAH burns skin, and improper disposal fouls up more than just a drain. I saw a spill once in a teaching lab—supervisor got the neutralizer out quick, but lessons stick. Workers need up-to-date Material Safety Data Sheets and a good fume hood.

As the chemical world moves toward greener reactions, some labs try to wean themselves off heavy organic cations like TBAH. Still, few alternatives do everything as efficiently. Greater transparency in sourcing and proper disposal safeguards both users and downstream water systems.

Room for Progress

There’s a running joke among chemists: the best reaction is the one that works today, available in the supply room. TBAH fits that role for many. But with environmental and health impacts in mind, research continues on biodegradable or less toxic replacement bases—both from companies and university teams. For now, TBAH stays a workhorse, but watch this space, because change comes fast in chemistry.

What is the chemical formula and molecular weight of Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide?

The Formula Behind Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide

Anyone who has spent time in a chemistry lab knows tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, often called TBAH, shows up in plenty of places. The chemical formula captures its structure simply: C16H37NO. Each molecule has one nitrogen atom in the center, bound to four butyl chains, with a hydroxide group for company. This arrangement gives it a bulky shape, which keeps it from packing tightly—helpful in organic synthesis and phase-transfer reactions.

Molecular Weight and What It Means

Look at the charts, and you find the molecular weight comes out to 259.48 g/mol. This figure isn’t just academic: when dosing TBAH into a reaction, even a slight slip up can shift the result. A heavier molecule like this affects solubility and reactivity, so getting the mass right keeps experiments reliable, and solutions consistent batch to batch.

Why Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide Matters

This compound matters because it solves real-world chemical problems that others can’t. Plenty of chemists run into trouble getting two different phases—say, oil and water—to talk to each other. TBAH steps in as a phase-transfer catalyst. The chunky, hydrophobic butyl groups lend it plenty of oil-compatibility, while the hydroxide brings water-solubility to the table. I have seen reactions shift from sluggish to lively after a dash of TBAH opened the door between phases.

In the electronics world, TBAH finds work as a photoresist developer or etching agent. Chipmakers trust it because it behaves consistently. Even a minor impurity or calculation error in chemical weight can compromise an expensive batch, so accurate chemical formulas and molecular weights matter here, where mistakes have a steep price.

Facts Rooted in Experience

After working with TBAH in the lab, you learn quick respect for its basicity. It wants to react, and it doesn’t wait around. Mix it with water, and it gives off heat—handling requires careful measurement and safety preparation. The bulky structure also means it rarely acts like simple sodium or potassium hydroxide. In organic chemistry, it opens up new ways to perform alkylation or elimination reactions, turning what look like unremarkable ingredients into valuable products.

Reducing Risk and Maximizing Value

Safety comes up anytime TBAH is involved. Spills can irritate skin and eyes; vapors become an inhalation hazard if left unchecked. Every lab needs clear handling guidelines—always wear gloves and goggles, always work in a ventilated area. Experienced chemists keep this respect for the compound front and center, and for good reason.

On storage, TBAH stays more stable in sealed containers, away from moisture and carbon dioxide. The base reacts with carbon dioxide from air, so airtight bottles make all the difference. Lab managers I have worked with avoid buying large containers just to save on price—smaller bottles limit waste and preserve potency.

Room for Improvement and Solutions

Worldwide, chemical suppliers play a crucial role in tracking and reporting the purity and concentration of TBAH. Mislabeling or imprecise blending causes more hassle than most realize, slowing research and adding cost. Regular calibration of balances and clear quality certificates from suppliers can raise standards in labs. Peer-reviewed studies help reinforce good practices and keep everyone honest about what these compounds can do, and how best to use them.

How should Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide be stored and handled safely?

Respecting a Potent Chemical

Ask any lab worker about Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide and the first response often involves caution. This strong organic base will eat through skin and eyes in seconds. It learned its reputation over years in academic and commercial chemistry labs. Accidents left lasting marks, both on skin and memory. I still remember my first spill during a rushed lab session; a few drops on a countertop quickly warped the plastic. This stuff doesn’t ask for attention—it demands it.

Choosing the Right Storage Spot

Storing this chemical starts with a simple rule—keep it below eye level, tucked away in a dedicated corrosives cabinet. Shelves must be sturdy, and metal hardware often needs a plastic lining to prevent corrosion. After witnessing a bottle leak at a colleague’s station, I now check for dried residue near the cap each time I grab the bottle. Screw-top lids require a tight seal after each use, and clear labels in bold text let no one mistake the contents for something gentler.

The temperature boss in most labs sets thermostats lower in storage rooms. Warm air speeds up evaporation and, with Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide, that means more exposure risk. Humid environments don’t mix well, either; the chemical absorbs water from the air. One rainy season in our city, several unsealed bottles formed strange crystals around the neck—never a good sign. If you can’t lock down your storage humidity and temperature, larger risks follow.

No food or drink stays near the chemical storage bench. Mixing lunch with chemical work leads, predictably, to problems. After all these years, old habits remain best: regular safety checks, reviewing expiry dates, and quick cleanup for minor leaks. Keep it simple and routine: if it starts looking odd or discolored, bring in the lab manager for review without delay.

Protection Starts with the Right Gear

Personal protective equipment saves skin and sight. I trust splash goggles over standard safety glasses for one reason—the way this base reacts with moisture makes it splash further and wider than most expect. Thick nitrile gloves and full-length lab coats stand guard. The number of times I’ve watched newcomers shrug at using face shields, only to flinch when a drop lands near them, reminds me that real safety means over-preparing, not just following the checklist.

Always work inside a certified fume hood. The fumes irritate throat and lungs in no time. One missed step—leaning too far out of the hood—leads to burning eyes or worse. Many think of fumes as an abstract risk, but coughing fits during my graduate days taught me how fast those vapors travel. Plan your work, gather tools first, and finish the transfer without retracing steps or searching for a missing pipette mid-job.

Emergency Plans and Simple Practices

Smart labs post emergency shower and eyewash locations at each station. I keep a mental map of the quickest route. The best teams practice spills and first aid until muscle memory takes over. Spill kits include neutralizing agents and absorbent materials—never just paper towels, which turn a minor accident into a spreading threat. Ordinary bleach and strong acids don’t neutralize this base safely; we rely on weak acids and lots of water during cleanup.

Training new colleagues on Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide isn’t just policy—it reflects respect for everyone’s safety. Shortcuts never pay off. Equipment stays well-maintained, and open discussions about mistakes make sure trust grows with the chemical knowledge.

Is Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide hazardous or toxic?

Understanding Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide

Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide shows up in plenty of chemistry labs, especially those that deal with organic synthesis and advanced analytical work. Picture a clear liquid or sometimes a solid that slips into research labs, carrying a reputation for strong reactivity. It has become essential for chemists hoping to coax out the best from certain reactions. But every time a bottle opens, an important question pops up: just how safe is this stuff?

The Risks at a Glance

The safety data on tetrabutylammonium hydroxide delivers a clear warning. On contact with skin or eyes, it causes irritation – sometimes severe. Its caustic, alkaline nature burns tissue, much like concentrated household lye. Once I caught the barest whiff from a container while prepping for a titration. I understood why goggles and gloves belong on every chemist’s packing list. A spill on skin can trigger redness or pain within minutes. Accidental splashes bring out the worst in skin sensitivity, especially for those of us already prone to eczema or allergies.

Breathing in fumes or fine sprays spells trouble too. Inhaled droplets irritate the throat and lungs, sometimes leading to coughing or difficulty breathing. Even without a big accident, small exposures stack up. Extended or repeated contact threatens long-term health problems, so nobody takes chances in a lab run with any sense of responsibility. To stay safe, work happens under hoods with plenty of airflow. Good ventilation means fewer headaches – literally.

Toxicity Concerns

Swallowing any amount counts as a medical emergency. This compound reacts violently with stomach acid, churning up corrosive burns in the mouth, throat, and further down the digestive tract. There's no safe dose. Poison control guidelines tell users to avoid all oral exposures and to wash up fast if spills hit the mouth.

The environmental impact has its own warnings. Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide doesn't grab headlines like heavy metals or pesticides, but its toxicity to fish and aquatic life packs a punch. Just a small amount can mess up ponds and streams, turning a healthy ecosystem into a danger zone for frogs and fish. Proper disposal isn’t optional; agencies like the US EPA require careful documentation and secure containers, not simple flushing or pouring down a drain.

Facts from Research and Experience

Years of published studies outline just how much care is needed. According to the European Chemicals Agency, exposure limits exist for a good reason – animal studies show tissue damage at low doses. No one expects to use this reagent in household situations, yet sometimes lab chemicals end up outside professional hands through carelessness or improper storage. I’ve seen students grab the wrong bottle out of inexperience, which adds urgency to better training and strict labeling.

Toward Safer Labs and Communities

Workplaces with regular tetrabutylammonium hydroxide use put a premium on safety. Regular safety drills, clear written procedures, and easily accessible first aid stations help keep accidents rare. I learned early on that skipping personal protective equipment guarantees regret. Good habits save skin, sight, and often jobs.

Beyond the lab, keeping the wider community safe starts with secure storage and careful handling, but it doesn’t end there. Waste programs matter. Safe chemical recycling or neutralization treatments limit the risk of contaminated groundwater. Communities need up-to-date information so schools and households don’t accidentally mishandle specialty chemicals picked up through surplus sales.

Summary of Why It Matters

Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide’s story isn’t just about risk – it’s about smart choices and respect for the chemistry at hand. With strong procedures, clear communication, and informed workers, this tool becomes valuable rather than dangerous. Carelessness turns it into a hazard. Staying informed, using the right protection, and following regulations keep everyone safe, from chemists to the fish in our ponds.

What concentration and solvent options are available for Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide?

Looking Into Concentrations

Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, or TBAOH for short, stands out as one of those reliable chemicals you run into in a surprising number of labs. The main choices users face boil down to how concentrated it comes, and which liquid holds it best. Most labs see TBAOH pop up in concentrations that hover around 25% to 40%. Sometimes you spot 1 M or 40% solutions, especially where organic synthesis runs at full tilt or where analytical work calls for sharper precision.

Strong base strength gives TBAOH quite a kick, but it also loves attracting moisture from air. Working with concentrations stronger than 40% starts to get tricky—handling, safety, and storage become a headache. Lower strengths, say closer to 10% or even 5%, show up in cases where only a gentle push is needed, such as in certain titrations or sample preparations.

Solvent Choices That Work

Anyone who has weighed and mixed TBAOH knows the solvent choice makes all the difference. By far, most commercial TBAOH solutions use water. Place a bottle of 40% aqueous TBAOH on a shelf, and you'll find it remains a workhorse for broad applications. Folks in analytical chemistry lean on it for ion exchange, chromatography, and the preparation of ionic liquids. For reactions that don’t play well with water, organic bases turn into problem solvers.

Methanol and ethanol step into view here. These two solvents open up TBAOH’s use in organic synthesis, especially in phase transfer catalysis. Want to carry out reactions in a water-sensitive system? TBAOH in methanol sidesteps moisture problems and stirs right into organic solvents. Not every lab needs these formulations, but their role grows each time water’s reactivity gets in the way.

Some chemists experiment with other solvents—acetonitrile or tetrahydrofuran have both been used. These versions remain fairly niche, picked for special scenarios or cutting-edge research. If viscosity or solubility starts making life tough, a change of solvent resets the balance.

Making Safety Count

No discussion about TBAOH stands complete without mentioning safety. High concentrations pose burns and inhalation risks, so bottles usually stick to moderate strengths for good reason. Methanol brings its own health risks, so storage and disposal get extra attention. Careful selection here protects everyone handling the material and trims down accident rates. Training and basic equipment, like gloves and goggles, do more than tick boxes—they keep work moving and people healthy.

Finding What Works in a Lab

Anyone who’s spent time in a lab knows the headaches of switching out a reagent. If water won’t cut it, asking a supplier for an alternative like TBAOH in methanol can save days of work. Standardized concentrations take guesswork out of scaling up from a small run to a full production line. It gets easier to compare results across experiments when you know you’re starting with the same material, every time.

Having a few trusted concentrations and solvent options lets researchers put energy into their science instead of babysitting their stock solutions. As green chemistry picks up momentum, some teams look for less hazardous solvents and lower concentrations. Limiting hazardous waste and finding less toxic carrier liquids isn’t just environmentally friendly—it saves money and strengthens compliance, too. The right TBAOH solution gives science room to grow, safely and efficiently.

Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide
Names
Preferred IUPAC name (tributylazaniumyl)butane
Other names TBAOH
Tetrabutylazanium hydroxide
Tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide
Tetrabutyl-ammonium hydroxide
Tetrabutylamine hydroxyde
Pronunciation /ˌtɛtrəˌbjuːtaɪl.əˈmoʊniəm haɪˈdrɒksaɪd/
Identifiers
CAS Number 2052-49-5
3D model (JSmol) `3DModel:JSmol:C[N+](CCCC)(CCCC)(CCCC)CCCC.[OH-]`
Beilstein Reference 3904299
ChEBI CHEBI:60089
ChEMBL CHEMBL1924725
ChemSpider 21518
DrugBank DB11405
ECHA InfoCard 03d112b2-98c9-400d-97da-6c0950afad44
EC Number 215-900-8
Gmelin Reference 18713
KEGG C14385
MeSH D017964
PubChem CID 8650
RTECS number WN3850000
UNII Y3B517872A
UN number UN2922
Properties
Chemical formula C16H37NO
Molar mass 345.56 g/mol
Appearance Colorless to pale yellow liquid
Odor Ammoniacal
Density 0.89 g/mL at 25 °C
Solubility in water Very soluble
log P -0.07
Acidity (pKa) 15.0 (conjugate acid, Tetrabutylammonium ion)
Basicity (pKb) pKb ≈ 0.2
Magnetic susceptibility (χ) −30 × 10⁻⁶ cm³/mol
Refractive index (nD) 1.409
Viscosity 85 cP (25 °C)
Dipole moment 2.72 D
Thermochemistry
Std molar entropy (S⦵298) 380.6 J·K⁻¹·mol⁻¹
Hazards
Main hazards Corrosive, causes severe skin burns and eye damage, harmful if swallowed, harmful if inhaled
GHS labelling GHS05, GHS06
Pictograms GHS05,GHS06
Signal word Danger
Hazard statements Harmful if swallowed. Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. Harmful if inhaled.
Precautionary statements P280, P305+P351+P338, P310, P303+P361+P353, P301+P330+P331, P405, P501
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) 2-3-1
Flash point > 86 °C
Lethal dose or concentration LD50 oral rat 250 mg/kg
LD50 (median dose) LD50 (Rat oral): 240 mg/kg
NIOSH WN2940000
PEL (Permissible) Not established
REL (Recommended) Not established
IDLH (Immediate danger) Unknown
Related compounds
Related compounds Tetrabutylammonium chloride
Tetrabutylammonium bromide
Tetrabutylammonium fluoride
Tetrabutylammonium iodide
Tetrabutylammonium acetate
Tetrabutylammonium sulfate
Tetrabutylammonium nitrate