3,4-Xylenol comes from a class of chemicals known as methylphenols, part of the wider phenol family. You see its influence every day if you’ve relied on industrial cleaners, specialty polymers, or certain resins. 3,4-Xylenol shows up as a raw material in chemical synthesis, forming the backbone of products in agrochemicals, dyes, and even some pharmaceutical preparations. The practical importance connects directly to its molecular shape and reactivity; two methyl groups attached to the benzene ring, specifically at the third and fourth carbon positions, nudge its behavior in ways that chemists have harnessed over the decades. This small shift—moving methyl groups compared to other xylenols—changes the way it dissolves and reacts, shaping the kinds of products that rely on its unique characteristics.
Step up close, and 3,4-Xylenol doesn’t play coy with its identity. Solid at room temperature, it often appears as off-white to light beige crystals or flakes. Pick up a handful—if safety measures are followed—and you’ll notice a faint but sharp phenolic odor. The density usually clocks in at about 1.07 grams per cubic centimeter, sitting just above water, and its melting point sits around 75 to 80 degrees Celsius. Boiling point rises steeply past 220 degrees Celsius. You find it stubbornly insoluble in water, yet quite willing to mix with alcohol and ether. Each of these traits stems from its structure: a benzene ring with hydroxy and methyl groups. This shape influences how it interacts at the molecular level and why certain solvents break it down with ease. Its formula, C8H10O, translates to a molecular weight near 122.16 g/mol.
At the molecular level, 3,4-Xylenol holds a six-carbon benzene core, flanked by a hydroxyl group at position one, and methyls at positions three and four. Walk through a laboratory that manufactures resin intermediates or specialty surfactants, and you’ll see how this placement tailors its interaction with acids, bases, and oxidizers. In terms of quality, producers usually specify minimum purity above 98%, aiming to keep byproducts and contaminants at bay. Impurities like ortho or para isomers can impact downstream reactions. As for specs, it gets packaged in drums or bags that must block moisture, since even a trace can cause clumping or degradation, altering reactivity and making it unsuitable for precise industrial needs.
Customs and trade authorities use HS Code 2908.19.00 to reference 3,4-Xylenol and similar methylphenols. This number guides tariffs, shipment checks, and ensures the material lines up with global safety regulations. Having worked with import paperwork, I’ve learned that getting the right code matters as much as physical purity—mistakes can waste weeks of delivery time in customs warehouses. For those involved in global trade, knowing the HS code ensures compliance with labeling standards and documentation, avoiding costly legal headaches.
3,4-Xylenol shows up mainly as a solid—flakes, powder, pearls—but in specialized setups, solutions and crystals exist for easier dosing or blending. Each form brings something different to the table. Powder cuts dusting issues by being more granular, flakes resist caking during storage, and pearls or beads offer easy metering in automated processes. Working at a chemical plant, it’s easy to see how handling safety hinges on these forms. The wrong choice increases airborne dust and risks to workers, so picking the right type matches both technical requirements and safety rules. Liquid forms, produced by dissolving the solid in alcohol or similar solvents, make sense for precision dosing and minimize exposure.
Every property ties directly to downstream needs. With a specific density of 1.07 g/cm³, 3,4-Xylenol sits denser than most organic liquids. It floats in certain solvents but not in water, pointing users toward alcohol or acetone as carriers. Even at high temperatures, its vapor doesn’t dissipate quickly, requiring strict ventilation where large volumes come into play. Its limited water solubility proves useful when separation of organic and aqueous phases is needed. In chemical synthesis, that means easy recovery and lower risk of environmental contamination compared to more soluble phenol derivatives.
Calling 3,4-Xylenol “safe” oversimplifies reality—I’ve seen firsthand that a little carelessness leads to real problems. Skin contact may cause burns, and inhalation of dust or fumes brings headaches and throat irritation fast. Chronic exposure brings even higher risks: kidney and liver damage, allergic responses, or worse. Environmental leaks carry risk for water bodies, as the substance can harm aquatic life, lingering because it does not break down quickly. In warehouses and labs, good practice requires gloves, goggles, and fume hoods. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) guide protocols, but training and routine safety drills make the real difference. Spill handling plans must cover containment and proper waste disposal, as local authorities often mandate specific incineration or chemical neutralization practices.
The label “hazardous” sticks for good reason. 3,4-Xylenol falls under several hazard classes: skin corrosion, eye damage, and long-term environmental toxicity. Transport companies treat it as a hazardous material—special drums, sealed labels, and declarations of chemical contents all become routine. For teams working with this molecule, regular monitoring of exposure and air levels helps catch leaks or spills before they turn into emergencies. Federal regulations can call for special storage zones—cool, dry, and away from oxidizers or acids—to avoid chemical reactions. From an ethical and legal perspective, industries bear responsibility for full transparency about risk, right down to consumer labels for end-use products.
Raw materials like 3,4-Xylenol tell a story of modern manufacturing. Sourcing begins with toluene or xylene oxidation in large reactors, and as demand grows—for herbicides, polymers, or disinfectants—the connections span continents. With raw supply comes volatility. Disruptions in crude oil or aromatic feedstocks ripple out, hitting prices and impacting downstream users. Having faced supply chain crunches, alternative sourcing or recycling initiatives often provide a buffer, yet cost and purity trade-offs keep teams in a constant balancing act. As industries move toward greener chemistry, pressure mounts to develop substitutes or more sustainable production methods. A shift to biosourced feedstocks has started but overcoming purity, scale, and yield issues remains a challenge. While 3,4-Xylenol delivers vital function, the push for safer, less polluting alternatives drives innovation across the chemical supply chain.
