Ethylaluminium dichloride

Guidance on Safe Use

First-aid measures

The following first aid measures are recommended :

Eyes :  Begin immediate eye irrigation with cool water for at least 15 minutes with the eyelids held open by gently separating them with the fingers.  Get medical attention promptly.

Skin :  Immediately flush with large amounts of water.  Remove contaminated clothing, including shoes, and wash with soap and water.  Get medical attention.

Metal alkyls and solutions of metal alkyls react with air and with body moisture.  Immediate flushing with large volumes of water will kill residual alkyl, carry away the heat of reaction, and cool burned tissue. Such burns will be predominately thermal and should be treated medically as such.  Immediate application of cold water has been found to reduce the severity of burns.  For treatment of injury or shock, the services of a physician are

required.

Inhalation of vapors from metal alkyl and solutions of metal alkyl fires or decomposition may cause immediate irritation of the respiratory tract.  

Excessive or prolonged inhalation of vapors may cause "metal fume fever".  Symptoms are throat irritation, headache, fever, chills, nausea, constricting sensation of the lungs.  If signs or symptoms occur, remove to fresh air.  If breathing stops, apply artificial respiration, preferably by

mouth-to-mouth.  Give oxygen if needed.  Get medical attention.

Protective equipment should be determined by the degree of possible exposure.  Eye protection should include goggles or face shields for even

minimal exposure.  Exposure to large quantities, as in plant transfers, requires a full body aluminized proximity suit.  Gloves used in plant transfers or operations should be aluminized leather, preformed neoprene, aluminized vinyl or other fire-resistant, nonreactive material.

Preformed rubber gloves may be used in the laboratory.  All gloves used when handling metal alkyls and solutions of metal alkyls should be loose-fitting for instant removal if necessary.

Spills of metal alkyl solutions may or may not spontaneously ignite depending upon conditions surrounding the spill.  However, the flash point of the solution is considerably below the flash point of the solvent, and the flash point for solutions should be considered as less than -48°C. Additional precautions normally observed when handling the solvent should be followed when using solutions of metal alkyls.  Breathing of solvent vapors may cause headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and loss of consciousness.  If signs or symptoms occur from breathing vapors, remove to fresh air.  If breathing stops, apply artificial respiration, preferably mouth-to-mouth.  Give oxygen, if needed.  Get medical attention.  If pure solvent is

swallowed, give a minimum of two glasses (500 ml) of water.

Do NOT induce vomiting.  Get medical attention.

Fire-fighting measures

The following general procedures are recommended for fires involving metal alkyls:                     

No standard methods have been developed for extinguishing large-scale metal alkyl fires.  Small fires may be extinguished using dry powder, provided that a large excess of dry powder is used.  Water should be used only on small amounts of metal alkyls.  Water based foams, chemical foams,

and halogenated extinguishers should NOT be used.       

The following procedure is recommended for handling metal alkyls when there are fires in the vicinity :

If a container is threatened by fire from an external source (not from the chemical itself), extinguish the external fire by conventional means, or

move the container, whichever can be done quicker and with less danger.  If this cannot be done, keep container cool by spraying water on it.  

Water reacts violently with metal alkyls but has been found to be an effective fire control treatment if one is thoroughly familiar with the violent

reaction and personnel are properly protected from explosion.

Accidental release measures

The following general procedures are recommended for spills or leaks involving portable containers of metal alkyls:

a.  Water may be used (only if one is thoroughly familiar with the violent reaction and if personnel are properly protected from possible explosion)

to decompose metal alkyls from small leaks and to keep adjacent tanks or equipment cool.

b.  If leaking liquid from a container is burning, move flammables away or move the container to a safe place, if possible.  Avoid increasing the

leak. Keep water, materials wet with water, and liquid fire extinguishers away. Small leak fires can be controlled with dry materials or with water, if

one is thoroughly familiar with the violent reaction and if personnel are properly protected from possible explosion.  If possible, use sandbags to

contain and isolate the burning liquid.  The use of a remote control vaporization system can be considered, particularly in the case of a limited leak which cannot be stopped.  The water spray permits the agent to be burnt as soon as it appears, the heat from the reaction with the water and air to be absorbed, the combustion chamber and the adjacent equipment to be cooled off, the radiating heat to be decreased, and the gases emitted to

be absorbed.  For further information, please contact Albemarle Europe SPRL.

c.  If gases leaking from the vapor space of a container are burning, proceed also as in item b).  In this instance, the fire will very likely extinguish

itself as the container vapor space pressure declines to atmospheric.

d.  If liquid is leaking from a container but is not burning, ventilate the area or move the container out in the open, otherwise, proceed as in item b).

Handling and storage

HANDLING :

Local exhaust is needed at source of vapors. All transfer lines must be free of water and oxygen.  All vessels must be dry and oxygen-free.  Transfer lines should be blanked at both ends when not in use.  Vessels must be top-unloading with remote, manual pressure relief.

STORAGE :

Mechanical ventilation is recommended.

The following procedure is recommended for handling metal alkyls when there are fires in the vicinity :

If a container is threatened by fire from an external source (not from the chemical itself), extinguish the external fire by conventional means, or

move the container, whichever can be done quicker and with less danger.  If this cannot be done, keep container cool by spraying water on it.

Water reacts violently with metal alkyls but has been found to be an effective fire control treatment if one is thoroughly familiar with the violent

reaction and personnel are properly protected from explosion.

Transport information

Land transport (UN RTDG/ADR/RID)

UN number:

3394

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

Organometallic substance, liquid, pyrophoric, water-reactive (Ethylaluminium dichloride)

Chemical name:

Ethylaluminium dichloride

Language:

English

Labels:

4.2 + 4.3

Special provisions / remarks

Special provisions:

Uncleaned empty packagings/transport equipments :
Empty packaging, tank-trailer, tank-container, portable tank,..., uncleaned of residue last contained: UN 3394 Organometallic substance, liquid, pyrophoric, water-reactive (Ethylaluminium dichloride), 4.2 (4.3), I

Remarks:

Hazard Identification N° X333

Inland waterway transport (UN RTDG/ADN(R))

UN number:

3394

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

Organometallic substance, liquid, pyrophoric, water-reactive (Ethylaluminium dichloride)

Chemical name:

Ethylaluminium dichloride)

Language:

English

Labels:

4.2 + 4.3

Special provisions / remarks

Remarks:

Uncleaned empty packagings/transport equipments :
Empty packaging, tank-trailer, tank-container, portable tank,..., uncleaned of residue last contained: UN 3394 Organometallic substance, liquid, pyrophoric, water-reactive (Ethylaluminium dichloride), 4.2 (4.3), I

Marine transport (UN RTDG/IMDG)

UN number:

3394

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

Organometallic substance, liquid, pyrophoric, water-reactive (Ethylaluminium dichloride)

Chemical name:

Ethylaluminium dichloride

Labels:

4.2 + 4.3

Special provisions / remarks

Remarks:

Marpol - Annex II Not applicable.
Marpol - Annex III Unregulated.

Air transport (UN RTDG/ICAO/IATA)

UN number:

3394

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

Organometallic substance, liquid, pyrophoric, water-reactive (Ethylaluminium dichloride)

Chemical name:

Ethylaluminium dichloride

Labels:

4.2 + 4.3

Special provisions / remarks

Remarks:

Passenger Aircraft Forbidden.
Cargo aircraft only Forbidden.

SpecialProvisions

Exposure controls / personal protection

Skin protection :       

Use full aluminized safety suit when transferring material (large scale) and whenever contact may occur.

Eye protection       :

Chemical goggles and the aluminized hood of a safety suit.  Goggles and face shield for small scale laboratory operation.

Hands protection :

Use loose fitting aluminized or leather gloves.

Respiratory protection :

Dust, fume, and acid gas respirator when working in irritating fumes from decomposition.  Supplied air respirator if working in a confined area.

Strictly Controlled Conditions:

This substance is handled under Strictly Controlled Conditions in accordance with REACH regulation Article 17(3) for isolated intermediates and, in case the substance is transported to other sites for further processing, the substance should be handled at these sites under the Strictly Controlled Conditions as specified in REACH regulation Article 18(4). Site documentation to support safe handling arrangements including the selection of engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment controls in accordance with risk-based management systems is available at each Manufacturing site.

Written confirmation of application of Strictly Controlled Conditions has been received from every affected Distributor and Downstream Manufacturer/User of the Registrant's intermediate.       

Stability and reactivity

EADC is quite thermally stable at ambient temperatures. It is recommended to keep it under inert gas.

EADC is reacting violently with water.

Uncontrolled reactions with alcohols, mineral acids, mercaptans, phenols, carboxylic acids, ammonia, amines can be dangerous. The chemical

reactions involved are similar to hydrolysis and they also produce volatile hydrocarbons.

Strictly Controlled Conditions:

This substance is handled under Strictly Controlled Conditions in accordance with REACH regulation Article 17(3) for isolated intermediates and,

in case the substance is transported to other sites for further processing, the substance should be handled at these sites under the Strictly

Controlled Conditions as specified in REACH regulation Article 18(4). Site documentation to support safe handling arrangements including the

selection of engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment controls in accordance with risk-based management systems is

available at each Manufacturing site.

Written confirmation of application of Strictly Controlled Conditions has been received from every affected Distributor and Downstream

Manufacturer/User of the Registrant's intermediate.

Disposal considerations

The first step is to minimize waste generation.

The second step is to safely treat waste liquids on-site in accordance with environmental regulations, or to properly dispose of the waste using a

licensed waste disposer.The general recommendation is to absorb and incinerate.