Dioxane

Description

A toxic, colorless liquid with a slight ether-like smell. Dioxane is no longer recommended for use. In the past, it was used as a Solvent for Cellulose acetate, Ethyl cellulose, Benzyl cellulose, and other resins, oils, and waxes. It was often found in paint and varnish removers. Dioxane was also used as a Surfactant and Dispersant in textile processing, dyeing, and printing.

Chemical structure

Synonyms and Related Terms

diethylene oxide; dioxyethylene ether; 1,4-diethylene dioxide; diethylene ether; 1,4-dioxane

Risks

• Highly toxic by skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion.
• Suspected carcinogen.
• Fumes are highly flammable and explosive. Flash point = 12C (54F)
• ThermoFisher: SDS

Physical and Chemical Properties

Miscible in water and most organic solvents.

Composition	C4H8O2
CAS	123-91-1
Melting Point	11.8 C
Density	1.0329 g/ml
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 88.1
Refractive Index	1.420
Boiling Point	101.1 C

Resources and Citations

• R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966

• Hermann Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986

• Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979

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

• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980 Comment: ref. index = 1.420