Alcohols – Alternative solvents to toxic Methanol or volatile Acetonitrile

Commonly available Isopropyl alcohol and Ethanol are suitable alternatives to toxic Methanol and Acetonitrile. Chemical properties for both iso-propyl Alcohol and Methanol exhibit lower vapor pressure, increased biodegradability, and a reduction in toxicity to humans. Depending on your application, these greener solvents can be used as a substitute for Methanol and Acetonitrile.

Alcohols
Properties	Isopropyl Alcohol	Ethanol	Methanol	Acetonitrile
Boiling Point	82.4°C	78°C	65°C	82°C
Flash Point	12°C	12°C	10°C	2°C
Vapor Pressure	4.3 kPa	5.9 kPa	15.9 kPa	9.7 kPa
Density	0.786 g/cm3	0.789 g/cm3	0.790 g/cm3	0.780 g/cm3
Biodegradability	95% (21d)	94% (28d)	99% (30d)	70% (21d)
Solubility in Water	Soluble (20°C)	Soluble (20°C)	Soluble (20°C)	Soluble (20°C)
Solvent Classification	Protic Polar	Protic Polar	Protic Polar	Protic Polar
Hazard Pictograms

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Ethers – Alternative solvents to toxic ethers and aromatic or halogenated solvents

Featuring 2-MeTHF (2-methyl Tetrahydrofuran) and CPME (Cyclopentyl methyl ether) as alternatives to toxic ethers, aromatics and halogenated solvents. Chemical properties for both 2-MeTHF and CPME exhibit higher boiling point, lower vapor pressure, and a reduced explosion range. Depending on your application, additional alternatives such as tBME, diethylene glycol dibutyl ether, diethyl ether, and dimethoxy methane are suitable alternatives. Chemical properties for the above contained in the table below. Depending on your application, greener solvents can be used as a substitute for ethers, aromatics, and halogenated solvents.

Ethers
Properties	tBME	Diethylene glycol dibutyl ether	Diethyl Ether	Dimethoxy Methane	Toluene	CPME	2-Me THF	THF	1.4-dioxane	DCM
Boiling Point	55.3°C	254°C	35°C	88°C	110°C	106°C	78-80°C	64°C	101.5°C	40°C
Flash Point	-28°C	118°C	-20°C	-6°C	4°C	-1°C	-11°C	-20°C	11°C	Non-flammable
Vapor Pressure	26.8 kPa	0.001 kPa	58.6 kPa	7.01 kPa	2.91 kPa	5.99 kPa	13.6 kPa	17.3 kPa	3.8 kPa	47.0 kPa
Explosion Range	1.5% – 8.5%	no	1.7% – 36%	1.5%	1.2% – 8%	1.1% – 9.9%	1.2% – 5.7%	1.5% – 12.4%	1.7% – 25.2%	13% – 22%
Biodegradability	2% (28d)	92% (28d)	no	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	39% (28d)	< 5% (28d)	5% – 26% (28d)
Solubility in Water	42 g/l (20°C)	3 g/l (20°C)	69 g/l (20°C)	91 g/l (18°C)	52 g/l (20°C)	1.1 g/100 g	150 g/l (20°C)	Soluble	Soluble	20 g/l (20°C)
Solvent Classification	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar
Hazard Pictograms

CPME = Cyclopentyl methyl ether
2-Me-THF = 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran
THF = Tetrahydrofuran
DCM = Dichloromethane

Esters – Alternative solvents to toxic aromatic or halogenated substances

Offering a specialized class of "esters", dibasic esters can be used as alternatives to toxic aromatics and halogenated solvents. Chemical properties for DBE, DBE-2, DBE-4, DBE-5, ethyl lactate, and methyl acetate exhibit lower vapor pressure, higher flash point. Depending on your application, these greener solvents can be used as a substitute for Benzene and Dichloromethane.

Esters
Properties	DBE*	DBE-2**	DBE-4***	DBE-5****	Ethyl lactate	Methyl acetate	Benzene	Chloroform	Dichloromethane
Boiling Point	196 - 225°C	210 - 235°C	200°C	96 - 103°C	154°C	56 - 58°C	80°C	61°C	40°C
Flash Point	100°C	104°C	90°C	109°C	53°C	-13°C	-11°C	Non flammable	Non flammable
Vapor Pressure	< 0.008 kPa	< 0.005 kPa	< 0.018 kPa	< 0.007 kPa	0.16 kPa	22.8 kPa	10 kPa	20.9 kPa	47.0 kPa
Biodegradability	n/a	n/a	n/a	60% (28d)	86% (28d)	> 70% (19d)	> 5%	no	5 - 26% (28d)
Solubility in Water	53 g/l	42 g/l	76 g/l	32 g/l (20°C)	Soluble (25°C)	250 g/l (20°C)	1.8 g/l (20°C)	8 g/l (20°C)	20 g/l (20°C)
Solvent Classification	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Polar
Hazard Pictograms

DBE = Dibasic esters

* = Mixture of 55-65% dimethyl glutarate, 15-25% dimethyl succinate, 10-25% dimethyladipate
** = Mixture of 72-78% dimethyl glutarate, 20-28% dimethyladipate
*** = Mixture of <1% dimethyl glutarate, >89% dimethyl succinate, <1% dimethyladipate
**** = Mixture of >98% dimethyl glutarate, 1% dimethyl succinate, <1% dimethyladipate

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Organic Carbonates – Alternative solvents to toxic DMF and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone

Ethylene carbonate and Propylene carbonate are a preferred class of "carbonates" as alternatives to DMF (Dimethyformamide) and NMP (N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone). Chemical properties for these carbonates exhibit lower vapor pressure and higher flash point. Depending on your application, these (greener solvents) can be used as a substitute for DMF and NMP.

Organic carbonates
Properties	PC	EC	BC	DMC	DMF	DMSO	NMP
Boiling Point	243°C	248°C	251°C	90°C	153°C	189°C	203°C
Flash Point	123°C	143°C	121°C	16.7°C	58°C	87°C	86°C
Vapor Pressure	0.004 kPa	0.021 kPa	0.0024 kPa	5.3 kPa	0.377 kPa	0.22 kPa	0.032 kPa
Biodegradability	94% (29d)	n/a	n/a	88% (28d)	90% (28d)	3.1% (14d)	90%
Solubility in Water	240 g/l (20°C)	214 g/l (20°C)	Soluble	139 g/l (20°C)	Soluble (20°C)	1000 g/l	miscible
Solvent Classification	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar
Hazard Pictograms

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EC = Ethylene carbonate
BC = 1,2-Butylene carbonate
DMC = Dimethyl carbonate
DMF = Dimethylformamide
DMSO = Dimethylsulfoxide
NMP = N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidon
* not available

PEG 200, 300, 400, 600 – Alternatives to DMF and DMSO

PEG200, PEG300, PEG400, and PEG600 (Polyethylene glycol) offer suitable chemical properties as alternatives to toxic DMF (Dimethylformamide) and hazardous DMSO (Dimethylsulfoxide), with its low biodegradibility. Chemical properties for PEG exhibit, higher boiling point, higher flash point, lower vapor pressure, and an increased biodegradability. Depending on your application, these (greener solvents) can be used as a substitute for DMF and DMSO.

PEG 200, 300, 400, 600
Properties	PEG 200	PEG 300	PEG 400	PEG 600	DMF	DMSO
Boiling Point	>150°C	>220°C	>200°C	n/a	153°C	189°C
Flash Point	180°C	220°C	240°C	260°C	58°C	87°C
Vapor Pressure	< -0.001 kPa	< -0.01 kPa	< -0.01 kPa	< -0.01 kPa	0.37 kPa	0.22 kPa
Explosion Range	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	2.2% - 16%	1.8% - 63%
Biodegradability	>  90% (28d)	>  90% (28d)	>  90% (28d)	>  90% (28d)	90% (28d)	3.1% (14d)
Solubility in Water	70 g/l (20°C)	Soluble (20°C)	Soluble (20°C)	Soluble (20°C)	Soluble (20°C)	1000 g/l
Solvent Classification	Protic Polar	Protic Polar	Protic Polar	Protic Polar	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar
Hazard Pictograms

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DMF = Dimethylformamide
DMSO = Dimethylsulfoxide
* not available

Volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) – alternatives to hydrocarbons like e.g. Xylene or Toluene can be used

Octamethyl-trisiloxane and Decamethyl-tetrasiloxane commonly known as volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) are alternatives to aromatic hydrocarbons such as Xylene and Toluene. Chemical properties for VMS's exhibit higher boiling point and a higher flash point, which results in lower volatility and less chemical vapors than the currently preferred aromatic hydrocarbons. Depending on your application, these (greener solvents) can be used as a substitute for aromatic hydrocarbons such as Xylene and Toluene.

Volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS)
Properties	Octamethyl-trisiloxane	Decamethyl-tetrasiloxane	Xylene	Toluene
Boiling Point	153°C	194°C	144°C	110°C
Flash Point	29°C	62°C	30°C	4°C
Vapor Pressure	n/a	n/a	0.8 - 0.10 kPa	2.91 kPa
Explosion Range	n/a	0.90%	1% - 7.6%	1.2% - 8%
Biodegradability	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Solubility in Water	n/a	n/a	0.18 g/l (20°C)	52 g/l (20°C)
Solvent Classification	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar	Aprotic Unpolar
Hazard Pictograms

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4-Hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone - Alternative to Acetone

4-Hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone can be used as an alternative to Acetone. Chemical properties for 4-Hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone exhibit higher boiling point, higher flash point, and lower vapor pressure and it is 100% biodegradable. Depending on your application, these (greener solvents) can be used as a substitute for Acetone.

4-Hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone
Properties	4-Hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone	Acetone
Boiling Point	168°C	56°C
Flash Point	58°C	-20°C
Vapor Pressure	0.1 kPa	24.6 kPa
Density	0.94 g/cm3	0.79 g/cm3
Biodegradability	>  100% (14d)	91% (28d)
Solubility in Water	Soluble (20°C))	Soluble
Solvent Classification	Aprotic Polar	Aprotic Polar
Hazard Pictograms

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