Dichloromethane
A saturated chlorinated methane with two equivalent chlorine substituents.
- Formula
- CH2Cl2
- Molar mass
- 84.93 g/mol
- Also known as
- Methylene chloride, Methylene dichloride, Methane, dichloro-, Methylene bichloride, Methane dichloride, Solaesthin
Overview
A saturated chlorinated methane with two equivalent chlorine substituents.
Replacing two hydrogens of methane by chlorine gives CH2Cl2 without introducing a carbonyl or carbon–carbon multiple bond. It is distinct from chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, the next members of the same substitution sequence.
Identifiers
- Formula
- CH2Cl2
- Molar mass
- 84.93 g/mol
- Also known as
- Methylene chloride, Methylene dichloride, Methane, dichloro-, Methylene bichloride, Methane dichloride, Solaesthin
Chemical identifiers
- SMILES
- C(Cl)Cl
- InChI
- InChI=1S/CH2Cl2/c2-1-3/h1H2
- PubChem CID
- 6344
Properties
- Melting Point
- -95 °C
- Boiling Point
- 39.75 °C at 760 mm Hg
- Relative density (water = 1)
- Relative density (water = 1): 1.3 (20 °C)
- Water solubility
- In water, 13,200 mg/L at 25 °C
References
- PubChem Compound Summary: Dichloromethane (CID 6344)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem
Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-08.
- OpenStax Organic Chemistry: Properties of alkanesJohn McMurry · OpenStax · 2023
Supports the qualitative structure and reactivity context; identity and numerical measurements retain their original references.
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Dichloromethane — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6344#section=Melting-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013., p. 1124
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Dichloromethane — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6344#section=Boiling-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013., p. 1124
- ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs): Dichloromethane — densityILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6344#section=Density. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred.
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Dichloromethane — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6344#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Yalkowsky, S.H., He, Yan, Jain, P. Handbook of Aqueous Solubility Data Second Edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL 2010, p. 4