Monobutyl phthalate (MBP) is an

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...

with the

condensed structural formula The structural formula of a chemical compound is a graphic representation of the molecular structure (determined by structural chemistry methods), showing how the atoms are possibly arranged in the real three-dimensional space. The chemical bondi ...

CH₃(CH₂)₃OOCC₆H₄COOH. It is a white solid that features both an butyl ester group and a carboxylic acid group. It is the major

metabolite In biochemistry, a metabolite is an intermediate or end product of metabolism. The term is usually used for small molecules. Metabolites have various functions, including fuel, structure, signaling, stimulatory and inhibitory effects on enzymes, c ...

dibutyl phthalate Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is an organic compound which is commonly used as a plasticizer because of its low toxicity and wide liquid range. With the chemical formula C6H4(CO2C4H9)2, it is a colorless oil, although commercial samples are often yell ...

. Like many

phthalate Phthalates (, ), or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid. They are mainly used as plasticizers, i.e., substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity. They are used primarily to soften ...

s, MBP has attracted attention as a potential

endocrine disruptor Endocrine disruptors, sometimes also referred to as hormonally active agents, endocrine disrupting chemicals, or endocrine disrupting compounds are chemicals that can interfere with endocrine (or hormonal) systems. These disruptions can cause c ...

. MBP is also the secondary metabolite of

butyl benzyl phthalate Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) is an organic compound historically used a plasticizer, but which has now been largely phased out due to health concerns. It is a phthalate ester of containing benzyl alcohol, and ''n''-butanol tail groups. Like mos ...

, less than

monobenzyl phthalate Monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) also known as benzene-1, 2-dicarboxylic acid is an organic compound with the condensed structural formula C6H5CH2OOCC6H4COOH. It is the major metabolite of butyl benzyl phthalate(BBP), a common plasticizer.BBP can also ...

(MBzP). It hydrolyses to

phthalic acid Phthalic acid is an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, with formula C6H4(CO2H)2. Although phthalic acid is of modest commercial importance, the closely related derivative phthalic anhydride is a commodity chemical produced on a large scale. Phthalic aci ...

and

1-butanol 1-Butanol, also known as butan-1-ol or ''n''-butanol, is a primary alcohol with the chemical formula C4H9OH and a linear structure. Isomers of 1-butanol are isobutanol, butan-2-ol and ''tert''-butanol. The unmodified term butanol usually refers t ...

References

{{Reflist Phthalate esters Endocrine disruptors