Product Description
Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) is a colorless, highly volatile liquid with a characteristic ether-like odor. It is commercially produced by reacting isobutylene with methanol and is an important oxygenated fuel additive.
Since the 1980s, MTBE has been used as a gasoline blending component to increase octane and improve combustion performance. Its use has also been associated with efforts to reduce certain gasoline emissions, although its application in fuels varies by region and regulatory requirements.
MTBE also has specialized applications in the medical field. Under controlled clinical conditions, it has been used as a solvent for gallstone dissolution, with the compound delivered directly into the gallbladder using specialized medical equipment.
Due to its high volatility and flammability, MTBE should be handled, stored, and transported in accordance with applicable SDS requirements and industrial safety regulations.
Product Parameters
| Melting point | -110 °C |
| Boiling point | 55-56 °C(lit.) |
| density | 0.7404 |
| vapor density | 3.1 (vs air) |
| vapor pressure | 4.05 psi ( 20 °C) |
| refractive index | n20/D 1.369(lit.) |
| Fp | -27 °F |
| storage temp. | Store at +2°C to +25°C. |
| solubility | 42g/l |
| form | Powder or Needles |
| color | APHA: ≤10 |
| Specific Gravity | 0.74 |
| Odor | Characteristic ethereal odor |
| Relative polarity | 0.124 |
| explosive limit | 1.5-8.5%(V) |
| Water Solubility | 51 g/L (20 ºC) |
| FreezingPoint | -108.6℃ |
| λmax | λ: 210 nm Amax: 1.0 |
| λ: 225 nm Amax: 0.50 | |
| λ: 250 nm Amax: 0.10 | |
| λ: 300-400 nm Amax: 0.005 | |
| Merck | 146032 |
| BRN | 1730942 |
| Exposure limits | ACGIH: TWA 50 ppm |
| Dielectric constant | 4.5 |
| Stability: | Stable, but may form explosive peroxides in contact with air. Extremely flammable - note low flash point. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents. |
| InChIKey | BZLVMXJERCGZMT-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| LogP | 1.06 at 20℃ |
| CAS DataBase Reference | 1634-04-4(CAS DataBase Reference) |
| IARC | 3 (Vol. 73) 1999 |
| NIST Chemistry Reference | Propane, 2-methoxy-2-methyl-(1634-04-4) |
| EPA Substance Registry System | Methyl tert-butyl ether (1634-04-4) |
| Hazard Codes | Xn,F,Xi,T |
| Risk Statements | 36/37/38-40-38-11-39/23/24/25-23/24/25 |
| Safety Statements | 9-16-24-45-36/37-7 |
| RIDADR | UN 2398 3/PG 2 |
| WGK Germany | 3 |
| RTECS | KN5250000 |
| F | 46091 |
| Autoignition Temperature | 705 °F |
| TSCA | Yes |
| HS Code | 2909 19 90 |
| HazardClass | 3 |
| PackingGroup | II |
| Hazardous Substances Data | 1634-04-4(Hazardous Substances Data) |
| Toxicity | . LC50 in mice (15 min): 1.6 mmol/liter of atmosphere (Marsh) |
Application Scenarios
Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) has been widely used as an oxygenated gasoline additive, particularly in unleaded gasoline. Its use in fuel applications varies by region and is subject to local environmental regulations.
· Gasoline Additive: Used as a fuel oxygenate and octane-enhancing component in gasoline formulations.
· Isobutene Production: MTBE can be thermally cracked over acidic catalysts to produce isobutene and methanol, making it a useful intermediate in the petrochemical industry.
· Chromatography: Used as an eluent or mobile-phase solvent in certain chromatographic applications, including high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
· Pharmaceutical Applications: MTBE has been used in specialized medical procedures as a solvent for gallstone dissolution, under controlled clinical conditions.
Overall, MTBE is an important chemical with applications across the fuel, petrochemical, analytical, and pharmaceutical industries.
