| HS Code | 367860 |
| Chemical Name | Toluene |
| Grade | Certified ACS |
| Brand | Fisher Chemical™ |
| Cas Number | 108-88-3 |
| Molecular Formula | C7H8 |
| Molecular Weight | 92.14 g/mol |
| Purity | ≥99.5% |
| Appearance | Clear, colorless liquid |
| Boiling Point | 110.6 °C |
| Melting Point | -95 °C |
| Flash Point | 4 °C (closed cup) |
| Density | 0.865 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Vapor Density | 3.14 (air = 1) |
| Vapor Pressure | 22 mmHg at 20 °C |
| Solubility | Slightly soluble in water; miscible with ethanol, diethyl ether, and acetone |
| Refractive Index | 1.496 at 20 °C |
| Autoignition Temperature | 480 °C |
As an accredited Toluene (Certified ACS), Fisher Chemical™, ≥99.5% factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged in a 1 L amber glass bottle, Toluene (Certified ACS), Fisher Chemical™, ≥99.5%, ensures purity and safe handling. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL: load toluene in approved drums/IBCs, secure and brace, label hazmat, ensure ventilation, and follow segregation rules. |
| Shipping | Toluene (Certified ACS) ships as UN1294, Toluene, Hazard Class 3, Packing Group II. It requires proper flammable-liquid labeling, grounded containers, and segregation from oxidizers. Transport via ground is standard; air and ocean shipments may require additional documentation and approved packaging. Ensure compliance with IATA/IMDG/49 CFR regulations. |
| Storage | Store Toluene (Certified ACS) in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat, sparks, open flames, and strong oxidizers. Keep the container tightly closed and upright when not in use. Use approved, properly labeled containers, and ensure bonding/grounding during transfers. Maintain no-smoking policies and follow local flammable liquid storage regulations. |
| Shelf Life | Toluene (Certified ACS) has a typical shelf life of 5 years when stored unopened in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from ignition sources. |
Certified ACS toluene, Fisher Chemical™, ≥99.5%, is specified in downstream processes where assay purity, water levels, and evaporation residue control catalyst life, side-product formation, and final product release. The ACS reagent profile includes maximum water of 0.03%, maximum residue after evaporation of 0.001%, and a minimum assay of 99.5%. The application scenarios below are restricted to established industrial uses with published compliance frameworks and production-scale process data.
A 2000 L glass-lined reactor charging Certified ACS toluene at 8 L/kg to 15 L/kg of limiting substrate is used in amide coupling, Friedel-Crafts acylation, and esterification sequences where water removal is the kinetic constraint. The process solvent charge is maintained in the lower part of that range for high-dilution acylations and in the upper part for slurry-phase isolations. Anti-solvent crystallization steps introduce 3 volumes to 7 volumes of toluene per kg of crude product to recover hydrophobic intermediates. Compliance is governed by ICH Q3C (R8) as a Class 2 residual solvent with a permitted daily exposure of 8.9 mg/day and a concentration limit of 890 ppm, USP <467> residual solvent analysis, and Ph. Eur. 5.4. On the manufacturing line, the reactor is dehydrated to a dew point of ≤ -40°C before charging; the batch is refluxed at 110–112°C under an inert nitrogen sweep, and water is collected in a Dean-Stark separator. Residual toluene is then stripped under vacuum at a jacket temperature not exceeding 60°C in the same vessel or in a wiped-film evaporator, depending on the thermal lability of the API. Terminal finished products include high-purity amide coupling intermediates, acid chloride derivatives, and crystalline hydrophobic APIs that require low evaporation residue to avoid particulate carryover. Operational boundaries include incompatibility with strong oxidizing agents and the need for peroxide monitoring if the solvent is stored without an inert pad; water-soluble salt forms require a solvent swap to isopropanol or ethanol because residual toluene stripping from polar matrices is slow and may exceed the 890 ppm limit.
In high-solids alkyd and acrylic topcoat manufacture, toluene is charged as the letdown solvent that adjusts final viscosity without disturbing the resin-solvent balance established by xylene and n-butanol. The formulation addition ratio varies by end-use: toluene represents 20 wt% to 45 wt% of the letdown solvent phase in alkyd undercoats, while high-solids industrial baking enamels are cut to a final toluene content of 10 wt% to 15 wt% of the liquid coating. Compliance is anchored to ASTM D2369 for volatile organic compound content, EU Directive 2004/42/EC for decorative coating limits, and 40 CFR Part 59 for architectural coatings in the U.S.; flash point is tested under ASTM D3278. The production process begins with resin synthesis at 180°C to 220°C, using xylene as the azeotropic water-removal solvent. The batch is cooled to 120°C before the toluene letdown is added, because feed above this temperature causes uncontrolled phase separation and increases retained solvent in the film. Filtration through 10 µm bag filters is performed after viscosity is adjusted to 70 KU to 85 KU on a Stormer viscometer. Terminal products include industrial baking enamels, aerosol alkyd primers, and anti-corrosive topcoats for metal furniture and agricultural equipment. The process boundary is strict: toluene cannot be used as the sole letdown solvent above 50 wt% of the total solvent phase without exceeding flash point constraints and delaying dry-to-touch beyond 4 h under forced-air drying.
Polychloroprene contact cements for automotive trim and footwear rely on a solvent blend in which toluene at 55 wt% to 65 wt% of the total formulation is combined with aliphatic and ketone solvents to control evaporation rate and adhesive wet-out. The liquid formulation contains 15 wt% to 25 wt% chloroprene resin solids, 3 wt% to 6 wt% terpene phenolic tackifier, and 2 phr to 4 phr magnesium oxide as acid scavenger. Industrial compliance is governed by EU REACH Annex XVII Entry 48, which restricts toluene to <0.1% in adhesives supplied to the general public, while occupational exposure follows 29 CFR 1910.1000 with an 8-hour TWA of 200 ppm and ACGIH TLV-TWA of 20 ppm. In production, a 50 HP sigma-blade mixer with a 40°C to 60°C jacket is used; the resin is pre-dissolved in toluene, then chloroprene coagulum is added gradually to prevent lump formation. Final viscosity is adjusted to 2500 mPa·s to 3500 mPa·s at 25°C, and adhesive strength is verified by ASTM D903 peel testing and ISO 4587 lap shear. Terminal products include construction contact adhesives, automotive headliner adhesives, and footwear bonding systems. The operational boundary is moisture control: raw materials must be dried to below 0.05% water, because moisture causes magnesium oxide to form hard aggregates that block spray equipment and reduce green strength.
Benzene, benzoic acid, and benzyl chloride derivative trains use toluene as the primary aromatic substrate where the Certified ACS assay of 99.5% avoids side products from benzene and aliphatic contaminants. Feedstock addition in hydrodealkylation is not a coating formulation ratio but a stoichiometric hydrogen-to-toluene molar feed of 3:1 to 5:1 at 600°C to 650°C and 35 bar to 50 bar over a Cr₂O₃/Al₂O₃ catalyst. In air oxidation to benzoic acid, cobalt naphthenate is charged at 0.1 wt% to 0.3 wt% of toluene feed, with compressed air at 6 bar to 8 bar and a reactor temperature of 140°C to 165°C. Industry compliance for nitration-grade toluene includes ASTM D841 and ASTM D4735 for trace benzene; production units operate under 40 CFR Part 63 HON or MON MACT provisions depending on the process train. Downstream production includes continuous hydrodealkylation furnaces, multi-stage nitrators for benzyl chloride and toluenesulfonyl chloride, and oxidation reactors with gas recycle. Terminal products are benzene for cumene and styrene, benzoic acid for sodium benzoate, benzyl chloride for quaternary ammonium surfactants, and toluenesulfonyl chloride for pharmaceutical intermediates. Published data for hydrodealkylation using Certified ACS-grade feed specifically is limited; industrial hydrodealkylation typically uses technical-grade toluene, but the higher assay reduces catalyst coking precursors and residual benzene in the outlet stream.
In publication gravure and decorative flexible packaging inks, toluene is a fast-drying solvent component that controls ink transfer from cylinder cells of 30 µm to 55 µm depth at press speeds between 150 m/min and 300 m/min. The formulation addition ratio for solvent-borne gravure inks is 30 wt% to 55 wt% toluene in the finished liquid ink; at press, the ink is further diluted with a toluene-ethyl acetate blend in ratios from 1:1 to 1:2 depending on cylinder engraving and ambient humidity. Compliance includes ASTM D1310 for flash point and ASTM D4212 for viscosity; because toluene is not a low-migration solvent under EU Regulation 10/2011 or Swiss SR 817.023.21, the ink is restricted to non-food packaging and industrial print applications. The production process uses a bead mill operating at 40°C to 50°C to disperse nitrocellulose and polyurethane resins; final viscosity is adjusted to 18 s to 25 s on a Zahn #2 cup, followed by filtration through 25 µm bags. Terminal products include decorative aluminum foil laminates, non-food labels, scratch card cover layers, and industrial release liners. Operational limits are tied to press-room humidity: relative humidity above 70% accelerates nitrocellulose precipitation, so the air handling system is maintained at 50% to 60% relative humidity during long-run cylinder changes.
In rubber-textile bonding cements for conveyor belt carcasses and transmission belting, toluene is combined with aliphatic diluents and methyl ethyl ketone to dissolve compounded chloroprene coagulum and polyisocyanate adhesion promoters. The addition ratio is 75 wt% to 85 wt% toluene in the bonding cement, with 10 wt% to 15 wt% compounded rubber solids and 3 wt% to 6 wt% polyisocyanate or resorcinol-formaldehyde adhesion promoter. Compliance is referenced to ASTM D413 for rubber-fabric peel adhesion, ISO 37 for cured rubber tensile properties, and 29 CFR 1910.1000 with an 8-hour TWA of 200 ppm. Production is performed in a low-shear dissolver at 500 rpm to 800 rpm for 4 h to 6 h until Gardner bubble viscosity reaches 800 mPa·s to 1500 mPa·s. On a 4-roll calender line, viscosity drift above 1500 mPa·s causes transfer roll starve-feed; therefore the cement is conditioned to 25°C ± 2°C before dip coating. The coated fabric is dried in a forced-air oven at 80°C to 120°C. Terminal products include conveyor belt carcass bonding cements, tire cord fabric primer systems, and high-adhesion rubber sheet compounds. The strict operational boundary is exclusion of water above 0.03%, because moisture reacts with polyisocyanate to form urea precipitates that block dip-coating filters and reduce final peel strength.
High-assay toluene is used as the aromatic feed in two-stage continuous nitration trains that produce dinitrotoluene isomers for subsequent hydrogenation to toluene diamine and phosgenation to toluene diisocyanate. The input ratio is a mixed-acid feed in which the mass ratio of toluene to mixed acid is maintained between 1:3.0 and 1:3.5, and the mixed acid composition is held at 60 wt% to 65 wt% sulfuric acid, 25 wt% to 30 wt% nitric acid, and 8 wt% to 12 wt% water. Industry compliance references include ASTM D841 for nitration-grade toluene, ISO 9001 quality management, and 29 CFR 1910.1000 airborne limits; process safety follows NFPA 30 because the flash point is 4°C. The production process runs in a continuous stirred nitrator with coil cooling to keep the reaction temperature at 45°C to 55°C; the mononitrotoluene stage is phase-separated, then re-nitrated to dinitrotoluene, hydrogenated over Raney nickel at 100°C to 180°C, and processed in a downstream phosgenation plant. Terminal products are toluene diisocyanate for flexible polyurethane foam, elastomers, coatings, and adhesives, plus dinitrotoluene as an isolated intermediate. The operational boundary is that residual water above 0.05% in the toluene feed can dilute sulfuric acid and shift the 2,4-/2,6- isomer ratio away from the distribution required for polyurethane-grade TDI; the ACS assay and low water specification reduce this drift in high-purity feed campaigns.
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Toluene (Certified ACS), Fisher Chemical™, with a gas chromatographic assay of ≥99.5%, is an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent corresponding to CAS 108-88-3, empirical formula C7H8, and relative molecular mass 92.14 g/mol. The Certified ACS designation applies to lots tested against the Toluene monograph of ACS Reagent Chemicals; release-test parameters include assay by gas chromatography, residue after evaporation, water by Karl Fischer titration, colour by APHA, titrable acid, and sulfuric acid darkening. Normal boiling point is 110.6 °C at 101.3 kPa, closed-cup flash point is 4 °C, and density at 20 °C is approximately 0.866 g/mL. Pack sizes follow laboratory-bottle and bulk-drum configurations to support manual dispensing, automated liquid handling, and process-scale extraction. The solvent has lower peroxide-forming potential than diethyl ether, but prolonged exposure to air and ultraviolet light can yield benzaldehyde and benzoic acid, which raises titrable acidity and residue.
Certified ACS toluene differs from technical-grade toluene primarily through the controlled ceiling on nonvolatile residue and sulfur-bearing impurities. Technical-grade toluene may contain variable benzene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and thiophene fractions that affect extraction selectivity, odour, and catalyst compatibility. HPLC-grade and UV-grade toluene are filtered and specified for low particulate burden and low background absorbance in chromatographic detection; they are not automatically tested to the full ACS residue, water, and acid limits. Anhydrous-grade toluene is dried below the Certified ACS water limit of ≤0.03%, often to ≤0.005% or lower, using molecular sieves or sodium-benzophenone distillation for Schlenk-line organometallic chemistry. The Certified ACS material should not be used as an anhydrous reagent unless additional drying is performed.
Table 1 summarises the ACS monograph limits used to release Certified ACS toluene lots. Manufacturer certificates of analysis report actual values that are typically below these ceilings; the table values are specification limits, not batch measurements.
| Parameter | Limit | Method basis |
|---|---|---|
| Assay by gas chromatography | ≥99.5% | gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection |
| Colour | ≤10 APHA | platinum-cobalt colourimetry, ASTM D1209 |
| Residue after evaporation | ≤5 ppm | ACS gravimetric residue method |
| Water | ≤0.03% | Karl Fischer coulometric titration, ASTM E203 |
| Titrable acid | ≤0.0006 meq/g | alcoholic potassium hydroxide titration |
| Substances darkened by sulfuric acid | pass | ACS qualitative sulfuric acid treatment |
Analytical laboratories using toluene for gravimetric extractables rely on the residue-after-evaporation ceiling because a 100 mL blank, approximately 86.6 g, carries no more than 0.43 mg of nonvolatile material. The Karl Fischer limit controls the amount of water introduced into moisture-sensitive titrations and organometallic reactions. The sulfuric acid darkening test detects unsaturated hydrocarbons, thiophenes, and related impurity classes that generate colour bodies in Friedel-Crafts alkylations and that act as catalyst poisons in polymerization. For trace-metal work, however, Certified ACS grade is not certified for part-per-billion metal content; where ICP-MS detection limits require metal-free solvent, a dedicated trace-metal-grade toluene should be used. The ACS limits align with international reagent-grade designations for toluene; comparable specifications appear in ISO 6353-2:1983, R39, but the Certified ACS designation is based on the ACS Reagent Chemicals monograph.
Condensation polymerizations generating water, including alkyd polyester and direct amidation routes, use toluene as a reflux solvent to shift equilibrium toward chain growth. A 5 L jacketed glass reactor fitted with a 100 mL Dean-Stark trap and total condenser processes batch charges where the toluene–water heteroazeotrope distills at 84.1 °C and contains approximately 19.6 wt% water. The organic phase returns to the reactor from the trap while the aqueous phase is removed; maintaining overhead vapour at 84–85 °C and jacket temperature near 110–115 °C prevents monomer degradation in neopentyl glycol and trimethylolpropane-containing formulations. Reaction progress is monitored by acid value in alkyd synthesis, with ASTM D974 acid values below 5 mg KOH/g often used as an intermediate-stage target before final dilution, although exact targets are formulation-specific. The Certified ACS water limit of ≤0.03% reduces the initial water load relative to technical solvent, while the ≤5 ppm residue after evaporation lowers the risk of colour bodies and catalyst deactivation at elevated reaction temperature. If the Dean-Stark vapour temperature rises above 90 °C, water depletion and return of dry toluene are indicated; reflux ratio is adjusted or solvent is topped up to prevent viscosity rise and hot-spot formation.
For plastics extractable matter determination under ISO 6427:2013, boiling toluene in a 150 mL Soxhlet extractor with a cellulose thimble and 250 mL solvent is applied to milled polyolefin samples for 6 h to 12 h. The extract is evaporated at 40 °C under reduced pressure and dried to constant mass. Certified ACS toluene permits quantification of polymer additives, processing aids, and oligomers without solvent-derived nonvolatile material confounding the gravimetric or chromatographic result. A solvent blank evaporated alongside each batch detects laboratory contamination; the ACS residue ceiling ensures a blank below a conventional 0.01 g/100 mL reporting threshold. The aromatic character of toluene provides stronger solvation of phenolic antioxidants and mineral oil hydrocarbons than hexane, but it also swells polyolefin matrices; extraction time and temperature should be fixed to avoid matrix degradation. For extracts requiring later UV-visible scanning, the Certified ACS colour specification does not substitute for HPLC-grade toluene with defined UV absorbance; a separate UV spectrum of the solvent blank is required.
Toluene also serves as a solvent for analytical standard preparation in gas chromatography of semivolatile organic compounds where the analyte set includes polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides. Stock standards are prepared by gravimetric dilution of certified reference materials into Certified ACS toluene and stored in amber vials at −20 °C to reduce evaporative loss; the solvent must be free of nonvolatile residue and acid to prevent degradation of acid-labile analytes. In GC–MS applications, a solvent blank scan is run first because ACS certification does not include a full scan purity specification. For trace-level work governed by US EPA SW-846 8000C solvent quality checks, solvent blanks and continuing calibration verification are required before sample reporting. Certified ACS toluene is not certified for low UV absorbance at 254 nm or 280 nm; preparative chromatography with UV-guided fraction collection may show solvent front interferences from trace aromatic impurities. Users requiring a defined UV cutoff should use HPLC-grade toluene and verify lot-specific absorbance against water or cyclohexane blanks.
Selecting Certified ACS toluene instead of HPLC-grade, anhydrous-grade, or trace-metal-grade material depends on the unit operation’s sensitivity to water, particulates, UV-active impurities, and nonvolatile residue. For voltammetric and polarographic measurements in nonaqueous electrolytes, background current from reducible impurities is more important than water; ACS-grade lots may require pre-electrolysis or activated alumina treatment. For Karl Fischer volumetric or coulometric titrations that use toluene as a sample solubilizer, the solvent’s water content is added to the measurement blank; the Certified ACS limit of ≤0.03% is acceptable only when sample water is greater than approximately 0.2%, otherwise anhydrous or Karl Fischer-grade solvent is required. For organolithium and Grignard reagent preparation, water levels must be reduced below ≤0.005% by molecular-sieve drying or distillation from sodium/benzophenone under inert atmosphere; Certified ACS material is not sold as dry solvent.
When lower water is required, Certified ACS toluene is dried by storage over activated 3A molecular sieves for 48 h to 72 h, followed by Karl Fischer verification. Sieves should be activated at 300 °C for 12 h under vacuum and added at 10% w/v. Alternatively, azeotropic predrying can be performed by distilling a portion of solvent to remove a water-enriched forecut. The use of sodium-benzophenone ketyl distillation under nitrogen is reserved for stringent organometallic work because it introduces stilbene pot residue and bases that may alter the solvent profile. These operations move the material beyond the Certified ACS release specification and require in-house validation.
The sulfuric acid darkening test is particularly relevant in Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation where thiophene and unsaturated hydrocarbons consume aluminium chloride or boron trifluoride catalysts and produce tar. Technical toluene with uncontrolled thiophene levels may exhibit colour formation and catalyst deactivation; the ACS treatment provides a pass/fail control for this impurity class without quantifying individual sulfur species. When quantification is required, gas chromatography with sulfur chemiluminescence detection is used to measure total sulfur and thiophene; Certified ACS does not include a sulfur number on the standard certificate. Technical toluene may also contain benzene in amounts that affect toxicity classification and extraction selectivity; the Certified ACS monograph does not specify a benzene limit. For trace benzene analysis, a separate lot screening by gas chromatography with mass-selective detection should be performed.
Storage of Certified ACS toluene in glass reagent bottles should be limited to ambient temperatures below 25 °C and away from direct sunlight. Bulk steel containers should be grounded during decanting, and the receiving vessel should be bonded; transfer pumps should be rated for flammable liquids and bonded to earth where fast flow generates electrostatic charge. The vapour space above liquid toluene reaches flammable equilibrium at ambient temperature, so containers should remain closed except during controlled dispensing. Pressure relief, inert gas blanketing, and flame arrestors on drum vents are applied in manufacturing areas where the solvent is delivered by closed-loop piping. Rinsates generated during cleaning of reactors and extraction vessels are collected as hazardous waste under local regulations; no release to drains is permitted. In the event of prolonged storage, the acid-wash colour and residue specifications can be verified by sending a retained sample for re-testing according to the ACS monograph.
Operationally, the solvent is a flammable liquid with a vapour pressure of approximately 2.9 kPa at 20 °C and is classified under CLP as H225 Highly Flammable Liquid and Vapour, H304 Aspiration Hazard, H315 Skin Irritation, H336 Specific Target Organ Toxicity Single Exposure, and H361d Suspected of Damaging the Unborn Child. Laboratory handling requires local exhaust ventilation, grounding and bonding for bulk transfers, and avoidance of open flames. The solvent is incompatible with strong oxidizers, nitric acid, and peroxides; storage should be in tightly closed original containers under inert gas where validated, away from light and heat. Unlike peroxide-forming solvents, toluene does not require routine peroxide test strips, but oxidation to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid can be detected by a rising titrable acid value or an APHA colour shift.
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