Vinyl chloride

Names Preferred IUPAC nameOther names Identifiers 1731576 ChEBIChEMBLChemSpiderECHA InfoCard100.000.756EC Number100541 KEGGRTECS numberUNIIUN number1086 Properties C₂H₃ClMolar mass62.50 g·mol Appearance Colorless gas Odormildly sweet Density0.911 g/cc Melting point−153.8 °C (−244.8 °F; 119.3 K) Boiling point−13.4 °C (7.9 °F; 259.8 K) 2.7 g/L (0.0432 mol/L) Vapor pressure2580 mmHg at 20 °C (68 °F) −35.9·10 cm/mol Thermochemistry 0.8592 J/K/g (gas)
0.9504 J/K/g (solid) −94.12 kJ/mol (solid) Hazards GHS labelling: DangerH220, H350P201, P202, P210, P281, P308+P313, P377, P381, P403, P405, P501NFPA 704 (fire diamond) Flash point−61 °C (−78 °F; 212 K) Explosive limits3.6–33% NIOSH (US health exposure limits): TWA 1 ppm C 5 ppm [15-minute] Ca Ca [N.D.] Related compounds dichloroethylenes, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, allyl chloride

Vinyl chloride is an organochloride with the formulaH₂C=CHCl. It is also called vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) or chloroethene. It is an important industrial chemical chiefly used to produce the polymerpolyvinyl chloride (PVC). Vinyl chloride is a colourless flammable gas that has a sweet odor and is carcinogenic. Vinyl chloride monomer is among the top twenty largest petrochemicals (petroleum-derived chemicals) in world production. The United States remains the largest vinyl chloride manufacturing region because of its low-production-cost position in chlorine and ethylene raw materials. China is also a large manufacturer and one of the largest consumers of vinyl chloride. It can be formed in the environment when soil organisms break down chlorinated solvents. Vinyl chloride that is released by industries or formed by the breakdown of other chlorinated chemicals can enter the air and drinking water supplies. Vinyl chloride is a common contaminant found near landfills. Before the 1970s, vinyl chloride was used as an aerosol propellant and refrigerant.