Butylethylmagnesium

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 magnesium 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 magnesium alkyls would not generate meaningful data, and no in vitro skin irritation and corrosivity studies are required for this substance.

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no study available

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

Interpretation of results:

corrosive

Remarks:

Criteria used for interpretation of results: OECD GHS

Conclusions:

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

Executive summary:

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

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no study available

Respiratory irritation

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no study available

Additional information

Corrosive. Flammable in air at room temperature.

Magnesium alkyls are highly reactive both towards oxygen (air) and water as explained below. Almost all magnesium alkyls are infusible solids, however, because of difficulties in handling undiluted magnesium alkyl and the manufacturing processes used, they are exclusively marketed in liquid state (hydrocarbon solutions) and shipped under UN transport class 4.2 (substances liable to spontaneous combustion / pyrophoric liquids) or at least under class 4.3 (substances which in contact with water emit flammable gases). Thus, these in vitro tests are technically not feasible to conduct and are scientifically unjustified.

 

Magnesium alkyls in general are highly reactive towards oxidizing agents including molecular oxygen, thus reacting spontaneously in air. Neat magnesium alkyls also ignite spontaneously on contact to air and therefore are classified pyrophoric.

 

Reactions of magnesium alkyls with liquids are in some cases explosion like. Most prominent example is reaction with water, which liberates for short chain alkyls highly flammable gases within seconds (alkyl groups with five carbon atoms and less). But any substance bearing protic hydrogen react in similar fashion, like alcohols, acids (organic and inorganic), etc.

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.