Diethylzinc

Endpoint summary

Description of key information

Corrosive. Flammable in air at room temperature. According to the Annex VII Standard Information Requirements for REACH, as steps 3 and 4 of the assessment of the skin irritation or skin corrosion endpoint, in vitro tests for skin irritation or corrosion are required. A specific rule for adaptation for the skin irritation /skin corrosion test states that the study(ies) do not need to be conducted if - the available information indicates that the criteria are met for classification as corrosive to the skin or irritating to eyes or – the substance is flammable in air at room temperature.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Skin irritation / corrosion

Link to relevant study records

Reference

Endpoint:

skin corrosion: in vitro / ex vivo

Data waiving:

study technically not feasible

Justification for data waiving:

the study does not need to be conducted because the substance is spontaneously flammable in air or in contact with water or moisture at room temperature

Interpretation of results:

corrosive

Remarks:

Criteria used for interpretation of results: OECD GHS

Conclusions:

Corrosive. Thus, exposure of mammalian species to zinc alkyls would not generate meaningful data, and no in vitro skin irritation and corrosivity studies are required for this substance.

Executive summary:

Corrosive. Thus, exposure of mammalian species to zinc alkyls would not generate meaningful data, and no in vitro skin irritation and corrosivity studies are required for this substance.

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

adverse effect observed (corrosive)

Eye irritation

Link to relevant study records

Reference

Endpoint:

eye irritation: in vitro / ex vivo

Data waiving:

study technically not feasible

Justification for data waiving:

the study does not need to be conducted because the substance is spontaneously flammable in air or in contact with water or moisture at room temperature

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

adverse effect observed (irritating)

Respiratory irritation

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

adverse effect observed (irritating)

Additional information

Corrosive. Flammable in air at room temperature.Most of the chemistry of organozinc compounds can be explained in terms of the polarization of the zinc-carbon bond, the high energy of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and relatively low lying vacant 4s- and 4p-orbitals. These electronic properties render this class of compounds highly nucleophilic and easily oxidizable, which, for example, reflects in their high flammability in the air. Short chain zinc alkyls ignite spontaneously on contact with air and therefore are classified pyrophoric under UN transport classification. The flammability of Zn alkyls decreases on increasing bulkiness of the alkyl groups. Reactions of zinc alkyls with liquids are in some cases explosion like. Most prominent example is the violent reaction with water, which liberates for short chain alkyls highly flammable gases within seconds (alkyl groups with five carbon atoms and less).Low-lying vacant 4s- and 4p-orbitals are responsible for mild Lewis acidity of organozinc compounds. Driven by nucleophilic power of their alkyl groups organozinc compounds add to aldehydes, activated ketones and some other unsaturated electrophiles. High polarity of the Zn-C bond makes Zn alkyls rather good deprotonating agents.

Effects on skin irritation/corrosion: corrosive

Effects on eye irritation: corrosive

Effects on respiratory irritation: highly irritating

Justification for classification or non-classification

Corrosive. Flammable in air at room temperature. According to the Annex VII Standard Information Requirements for REACH, as steps 3 and 4 of the assessment of the skin irritation or skin corrosion endpoint, in vitro tests for skin irritation or corrosion are required. A specific rule for adaptation for the skin irritation /skin corrosion test states that the study(ies) do not need to be conducted if - the available information indicates that the criteria are met for classification as corrosive to the skin or irritating to eyes or – the substance is flammable in air at room temperature.