Benzalkonium Chloride

Description

Benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), also known as alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides, alkyl dimethyl (phenylmethyl) quaternary ammonium chlorides, ammonium alkyl dimethyl (phenylmethyl) chlorides, or ammonium alkyl dimethyl benzyl chlorides, are a class of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs).They are usually commercialized as a mixture of compounds with different lengths for the alkyl chain, ranging from C8 to C18, with higher biocide activity for C12 and C14 derivatives.

Chemical Properties

White to light yellow liquid

History

Benzalkonium chlorides were reported for the first time in 1935 by Gerhard Domagk, gaining the market as zephiran chlorides, and were marketed as promising and superior disinfectant and antiseptics (2). In 1947, the first product containing BACs was registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States.

Uses

Cationic surface active agentBenzalkonium chloride is used in textile dyeing, softeners, antistatic agents, emulsifiers and conditioner. It acts as a cationic detergent. It is also used as a preservative in pharmaceutical products like eye, ear and nasal drops and sprays. Further, it is an active ingredient in personal care products such as hand sanitizers, shampoos, deodorants and wet wipes. In addition to this, it is used in a study to assess its action on epithelia conjunctival cells in vitro.

Uses

Benzalkonium chloride has been used in a study to assess its action on epithelia conjunctival cells in vitro. It has also been used in a study to investigate its effects on living rabbit cornea by in vivo Tandem scanning confocal microscopy.

Uses

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) can be used as:

• A cationic surfactant in chemical polymerization reactions.
• A phase-transfer catalyst for the quantitative determination of sulfide in the whole blood sample by extractive alkylation technique using GC-MS.

General Description

Colorless or yellowish powder or gummy amber solid. Aromatic odor. Very bitter taste.

Air & Water Reactions

Water soluble.

Reactivity Profile

BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE is incompatible with anionic detergents and nitrates.

Fire Hazard

Flash point data for BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE are not available, but BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE is probably combustible.

Synthesis

Cetyl dimethyl tertiary amine: 20 mol (5.39 kg);
Benzyl chloride: 20 mol (2.53kg);
Thiourea: 30 mol (2.28kg);
Ethyl acetate: 100 L.
The synthesis process is as follows: mix cetyl dimethyl tertiary amine, benzyl chloride and thiourea in a glass-lined reactor, add an organic solvent (the said organic solvent is ethyl acetate) and dissolve completely, turn on the stirring and the heating device, and control the system to be at 85 , and keep warm to react for 10h, and after the reaction is complete, naturally cool down to room temperature until the crystals precipitate, and then add the cake into ethyl acetate after the crystal is completely extracted and filtered, and then add to recrystallization, and precipitate crystals to be crystallized, and then add the cake into ethyl acetate. Recrystallization, crystal precipitation is complete after filtration, the crystals obtained in -1.5Mpa, 60 under the condition of vacuum drying to constant weight that is the high purity pharmaceutical grade ammonium phenylmethane chloride monomer.