Kepone

Description

[Allied Chemical] A brand name for a synthetic chlorinated hydrocarbon used as an Insecticide, and Fungicide. Kepone pellets contained 0.125% Chlordecone. It was introduced in 1958 for control of Cockroach, ants, and leaf-eating insects. Production of chlordecone ceased in the U.S in 1977.

Synonyms and Related Terms

chlordecone; decachloro-octahydro-1,3,4-metheno-2H-cyclobuta-[c,d]pentalen-2-one

Risks

• Human carcinogen.
• Toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin absorption.
• Negative effects on neurological and reproductive systems, as well as the liver, skin, and vision
• Chem Service: Kepone

Physical and Chemical Properties

Soluble in acetic acid, alcohols, ketones. Slightly soluble in water.

Composition	C10Cl10O
CAS	143-50-0
Melting Point	350 C
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 490.64

Resources and Citations

• The Kepone Environmental Disaster: Link

• Kepone

• Lynda A. Zycherman, J.Richard Schrock, A Guide to Museum Pest Control, FAIC and Association of Systematics Collections, Washington DC, 1988

• The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983 Comment: entry 2131

• Thomas Gregory, The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993