PRODUCT PROFILE Chloromethane, also called methyl chloride, is a chemical compound of the group of organic compounds calledhaloalkanes. It was once widely used as a refrigerant. It is a colorless extremely flammable gas with a mildly sweet odor, which is, however, detected at possibly toxic levels. Chloromethane is a clear, colorless gas (vapor) that is difficult to smell. It has a faintly sweet, nonirritating odor at high levels in the air. It is a naturally occurring chemical that is made in large amounts in the oceans and is produced by some plants and rotting wood and when such materials as grass, wood, charcoal, and coal burn. Chloromethane is also produced industrially, but most of it is destroyed during use. It is used mainly in the production of other chemicals such as silicones, agricultural chemicals, and butyl rubber. Producers of the chemical supply the chemical to their customers as a liquified gas in metal containers. Chloromethane was used widely in refrigerators in the past, but generally this use has been taken over by newer chemicals such as Freon. Some functioning refrigerators more than about 30 years old may contain chloromethane Product characteristics: • Formula : CH3Cl • Molecular weight : 50.488 • CAS Number : 74-87-3 • Appearance : colourless gas • Solubility : soluble in water. • The vapor pressure :4,310 mm Hg at 25 °C • The log octane/(log Kow): is 0.91. (1,7) Applications of chloromethane: • Methyl chloride is used mainly in the production of silicones where it is used to make methylate silicon. It is also used in the production of agricultural chemicals, methyl cellulose, quaternary amines, and butyl rubber and for miscellaneous uses including tetramethyl lead. • Methyl chloride was used widely in refrigerators in the past, but generally this use has been taken over by newer chemicals such as Freon. • Chloromethane was a widely used refrigerant • Chloromethane was also once used for producing lead-based gasoline additives (tetramethyllead) • The most important use of chloromethane today is as a chemical intermediate in the production of silicone polymers. • Smaller quantities are used as a solvent in the manufacture of butyl rubber and in petroleum refining. • Chloromethane is employed as a methylating and chlorinating agent in organic chemistry. • It is also used in a variety of other fields: as an extractant for greases oils and resins • used as a propellant and blowing agent in polystyrene foam production, Other application of chloromethane is that it is used as a local anesthetic, as an intermediate in drug manufacturing, as a catalyst carrier in low-temperature polymerization, as a fluid for thermometric and thermostatic equipment, and as a herbicide. GLOBAL SCENARIO: In India there are four major producers of chloromethanes with total combined capacity of 1.44 lakh tonnes. Production of chloromethanes in the year 2009-2010 was 1.28 lakh tonnes, which increased to 1.44 lakh tonnes in 2010 to 2011 indicating 100 percent utilisation of installed capacity. Total consumption of chloromethane [methyl dichlorine (MDC) and chloroform] has increased from 4.02 lakh tonnes in 2005-2006 to 4.58 lakh tonnes in 2010 to 2011, thereby registering a modest growth of 4 percent per annum. The major application of MDC is in pharmaceuticals, paint industry as paint remover and degreasing agent followed by refrigerants, foam blowing agent and in agrochemicals. However the consumption is likely to grow at around 5% per annum and this rate of demand for chloromethane is estimated to grow to around 5.82 lakh tonnes in 2015-2016.