2,6-Difluoroaniline
2,6-Difluoroaniline — 2,6-DFA — is a symmetrically ortho-difluorinated aniline built for chemistry that needs both fluorines flanking a reactive amine. It is a working intermediate for pharmaceutical actives (including anti-inflammatory and oncology chemistry), triazolopyrimidine-sulfonamide and related herbicide actives, and general dye and fine-chemical synthesis wherever a stable, symmetrically fluorinated aryl amine is required.
Chelora Chemicals supplies 2,6-DFA to agrochemical formulators, pharmaceutical intermediate manufacturers and fine chemical houses worldwide, in glass, drums or bulk liquid quantities, with a batch COA and GHS safety data sheet on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 5509-65-9
- IUPAC name
- 2,6-Difluoroaniline
- Molecular formula
- C6H5F2N
- Molecular weight
- 129.11 g/mol
- EC / EINECS
- 226-853-0
- MDL number
- MFCD00007655
- SMILES
- Nc1c(F)cccc1F
- HS Code
- 2921 42*
* Confirm the exact HS heading with your customs broker — classification of fluorinated aniline derivatives varies between destination tariffs.
What 2,6-Difluoroaniline is used for
2,6-Difluoroaniline is an aniline carrying a fluorine on each ring carbon flanking the amino group. That symmetrical substitution pattern does something most single-fluorine anilines cannot: it places electron-withdrawing fluorine on both sides of the nitrogen, which lowers the amine's basicity, steers electrophilic and metal-mediated chemistry to the remaining ring positions, and leaves a 2,6-difluorophenyl fragment that reads as a single, well-defined building block on everything made from it downstream.
In practice 2,6-DFA is a reagent-grade fine chemical intermediate rather than a bulk commodity aniline: plants buy it in kilogram-to-tonne lots to build amides, sulfonamides, ureas and heterocycles for pharmaceutical, agrochemical and dye synthesis. Very little of it is ever sold on as-is.
Why the substitution pattern matters
Fluorinated anilines are not interchangeable — the number and position of the fluorine atoms changes the electronics, the geometry and the downstream chemistry completely:
- 2,6-Difluoroaniline (CAS 5509-65-9) — this product. Both fluorines ortho to the amine, giving a symmetrical, sterically hindered nitrogen used across pharma and agro synthesis.
- 2,4-Difluoroaniline — one ortho and one para fluorine; a different electronic profile with its own herbicide and pharmaceutical routes.
- 3,4-Difluoroaniline — both fluorines on the "far" side of the ring, common in active pharmaceutical ingredient synthesis where the amine itself stays relatively unhindered.
- Para Fluoroaniline (4-fluoroaniline) — a single fluorine, para to the amine, used across a different set of pharmaceutical and dye routes.
If your purchase order simply says "difluoroaniline", quote us the CAS number and we will confirm the correct isomer before the order is placed. We source the sister fluorinated and chlorinated anilines as well — browse the full aniline and aromatic amine range or send us the specific CAS number you need.
Appearance and handling character
2,6-DFA ships as a clear, colourless to pale yellow or brown liquid at ambient temperature, with a boiling point around 152–154 °C at atmospheric pressure (equivalently about 51–52 °C under a 15 mmHg vacuum, the way it is usually purified). It is only sparingly soluble in water but dissolves readily in chloroform, ethyl acetate and most common organic solvents. Like other primary aromatic amines it can darken slowly on exposure to air and light, and — unlike a solid intermediate — it is also a flammable liquid with a flash point in the low forties Celsius. Read the safety section below before planning storage or transfer: ignition control, not caking or crystallisation, is the handling issue that matters most for this grade.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear, colourless to pale yellow / brown liquid |
| Assay (GC) | 97.0% min (98%+ available) |
| Moisture (KF) | 0.3% max |
| Refractive index (n20/D) | 1.507 – 1.509 |
| Total isomeric impurities | 1.5% max |
| Colour (APHA) | Reported per batch |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial grade material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document. If your process demands a tighter assay, a specific isomer limit, a colour ceiling or a controlled moisture figure, send us the specification and we will quote against it rather than against a generic grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Liquid at ambient temperature |
| Boiling point | ≈ 152 – 154 °C @ 760 mmHg |
| Boiling point (reduced pressure) | ≈ 51 – 52 °C @ 15 mmHg |
| Flash point | ≈ 43 – 51 °C (closed cup) |
| Relative density | ≈ 1.20 – 1.28 g/mL @ 20–25 °C |
| Refractive index | n20/D ≈ 1.507 – 1.509 |
| Water solubility | Slightly soluble |
| Organic solubility | Soluble in chloroform, ethyl acetate & most common organic solvents |
| pKa (amine, predicted) | ≈ 1.8 |
| Odour | Characteristic amine odour |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 5509-65-9 and rounded for readability; values vary slightly between reagent suppliers and purity grades. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this molecule to work
2,6-DFA is a specialty fine-chemical intermediate rather than a single-outlet commodity. Its demand is spread across pharmaceutical synthesis, crop protection actives, dye chemistry and general fluorinated building-block work.
Pharmaceutical intermediates
The 2,6-difluorophenyl fragment appears across established anti-inflammatory and oncology chemistry, where the symmetrical fluorine pattern gives a predictable, metabolically stable aromatic handle for amide, sulfonamide and heterocycle formation.
- Amide and sulfonamide formation
- Heterocyclic ring construction
- See our pharmaceutical intermediate range
Herbicide & insecticide actives
2,6-DFA is documented as the aromatic amine used to build triazolopyrimidine-sulfonamide herbicidal chemistry, and is more broadly reported as an efficient intermediate for insecticide synthesis where a hindered, fluorinated aniline is required.
- Sulfonamide herbicide chemistry
- Insecticide intermediate synthesis
- See our agrochemical intermediate range
Dyes & colour chemistry
Like other fluorinated anilines, 2,6-DFA is used as a diazo or coupling-component building block in dye synthesis, where the fluorine substituents modify shade, fastness and solvent behaviour relative to the parent aniline.
- Diazo & coupling component chemistry
- Fluorine shifts shade and fastness
- Browse the full aniline & aromatic amine range
Fine & specialty synthesis
A well-characterised, symmetrically hindered aryl amine building block for custom amides, ureas, carbamates and Schiff bases where the 2,6-difluorophenyl group is required and both ring fluorines may themselves serve as later synthetic handles.
- Custom amide, urea & carbamate formation
- Both fluorines available for later chemistry
- Available in trial and laboratory quantities
Research & building-block supply
Widely held as a reagent-grade building block by fine chemical suppliers for R&D scale-up. We bridge the gap between a 5 g reagent bottle and a commercial campaign quantity, at consistent quality throughout.
- Gram-to-kilo scale-up support
- Same specification from lab lot to plant lot
- Full analytical pack on request
Contract & scheduled supply
Pharmaceutical and agrochemical intermediate plants run to campaign, not to a calendar month. Most 2,6-DFA buyers want volume released against a production plan rather than in one shipment. We hold inventory and release it to your schedule.
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Price held across the contract period
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply 2,6-Difluoroaniline
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. We own no fluorination plant — and for a specification-sensitive, flammable liquid intermediate like this one, that independence works in your favour. We are never obliged to push you whatever a captive unit happens to be running that month.
Instead we place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your assay, your isomer tolerance, your price point and your delivery window.
We keep a second qualified source on this line. When a plant goes down for maintenance, or a shipping disruption stalls a route, your campaign switches source rather than stalling.
- Specification read against the CAS first. We confirm you need 5509-65-9 and not 2,4-difluoroaniline, 3,4-difluoroaniline or a mono-fluorinated grade, before we quote a price.
- Batch COA shared before dispatch. You approve the assay, moisture and impurity profile against your own spec while the material is still in our warehouse.
- Flammable-liquid status stated up front. This material is a Class 3 flammable liquid, and we say so at enquiry stage — not in the small print of a document pack that arrives with the goods.
- Pre-shipment samples for qualification. New account or new source, your R&D team runs a lab batch before the full quantity ever moves.
- Packing chosen for a flammable liquid. Container material, venting and stowage all matter for a Class 3 liquid — we plan the pack format with you rather than defaulting to whatever is on the shelf.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Hazard classification, UN-approved packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
- Consolidation onto one bill of lading. Ship 2,6-DFA alongside other intermediates from our range — one invoice, one shipment, one counterparty.
Packed the way your plant receives it
Pack format drives your landed cost and your handling effort — and for a flammable liquid, it also drives your fire-safety and transfer arrangements. Tell us how it will be received at your end and we will quote the format that suits your operation.
Glass & HDPE reagent bottles
Amber glass or HDPE bottles with vented, UN-approved closures for laboratory samples and pilot quantities, dispatched so your R&D team can qualify the grade before committing to campaign volume.
UN-approved steel & HDPE drums
Closed-head steel or lined HDPE drums rated for Class 3 flammable liquids, the default format for commercial quantities moving by LCL or full container.
Intermediate bulk containers
Certified IBCs for high-volume users with mechanical transfer, giving fewer handling movements and lower packing cost per kilo than drummed material.
Flexitank & ISO tank options
For contracted tonnage, bulk transport in a flexitank or ISO tank container is available where volumes and the destination infrastructure support it — ask our logistics desk to model the cost against drums.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to. Ocean, air and road freight arranged end-to-end with dangerous-goods documentation filed before booking.
Campaign despatch
Pharmaceutical and agrochemical intermediate production runs to campaign. We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your production calendar instead of landing it all at once.
Handle this as a flammable, acutely toxic liquid
This is the point on the page that matters most. 2,6-Difluoroaniline is a Class 3 flammable liquid that is also harmful by all three exposure routes and an eye, skin and respiratory irritant. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your consignment is the authoritative document and should govern your risk assessment, PPE selection, exposure monitoring, area classification and emergency planning.
Classified hazards
H226Flammable liquid and vapour.H302Harmful if swallowed.H312Harmful in contact with skin.H332Harmful if inhaled.H315Causes skin irritation.H319Causes serious eye irritation.H335May cause respiratory irritation.
Hazard statements reflect the harmonised GHS classification commonly published for CAS 5509-65-9, consistent with legacy risk phrases R10, R20/21/22 and R36/37/38. Supplier classifications may differ in detail; always read the SDS issued with your specific batch, and treat the flammability entry as the one that shapes your area classification and ignition controls.
Spill & emergency orientation
Plan your response before the drum arrives, not after a line is opened. The points below are orientation for your emergency planners — sections 4, 5 and 6 of the SDS are the authoritative instructions and should be posted at the point of use.
- Eliminate ignition sources first. Flash point sits around 43 °C — treat any transfer, decanting or cleaning operation as a potential ignition risk and bond/earth equipment accordingly.
- Contain, do not hose to drain. Absorb spilled liquid onto inert material and collect it into a labelled, closed container; never wash it to a drain or watercourse.
- Assume skin and vapour exposure. Contaminated clothing is a continuing exposure route — remove it immediately and wash the skin thoroughly; ventilate the area if vapour is present.
- Have the SDS with the casualty. Fluorinated anilines can affect the blood and central nervous system on significant exposure, and the treating clinician needs the product identity and CAS number in hand.
- Use appropriate extinguishing media. Dry chemical, foam or CO₂ for a flammable-liquid fire — never a solid water jet on a burning pool of a flammable liquid.
Storage
- Dedicated flammable-liquid store, cool, dry and well-ventilated, away from direct sunlight, heat sources and any source of ignition or static discharge.
- Keep containers tightly closed and earthed/bonded during transfer. Air and light drive the slow colour drift typical of anilines, and open containers also increase vapour loss.
- Segregate from oxidising agents, strong acids, acid chlorides and acid anhydrides. As a primary aromatic amine it reacts exothermically with acylating and oxidising reagents.
- Bunded, access-controlled storage appropriate to a flammable liquid, sized to contain the full volume of the largest container held.
- Shelf life is typically 12–24 months in sealed original packing under these conditions; the product is reported as hygroscopic, so re-assay before use after long storage.
Handling & PPE
- Design ignition risk out first. Closed transfer, bonding/earthing and area classification come before ventilation, and ventilation comes before PPE — the standard hierarchy of control for a flammable liquid.
- Skin protection is the priority. Chemical-resistant gloves and coveralls, not just splash protection — aromatic amines are absorbed through intact skin, and H315 means repeat contact is also an irritation risk.
- Respiratory protection where vapour concentration may build, particularly in confined or poorly ventilated transfer areas, per your own exposure assessment.
- Eye protection is mandatory given the H319 classification — chemical splash goggles, not just safety glasses, for any open handling.
- Never discharge to drain or watercourse. Collect spills and washings as regulated chemical waste and dispose of them through a licensed route.
Transport
2,6-DFA moves as regulated dangerous goods — Class 3 flammable liquid, commonly declared under UN 1992 or UN 1993 depending on the toxicity sub-classification applied by the shipper, packing group III. We classify each consignment, apply UN-approved packaging and labelling, and file the dangerous-goods declaration before the booking is made. The exact UN number, class and packing group are stated on your shipping documents and SDS — ask us for the current DG paperwork when you plan the shipment.
What travels with every consignment
A chemical shipment is only as good as the file that travels with it. Verifying what the source plant sends is precisely the work you are buying from a supplier.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-specific assay by GC, moisture by Karl Fischer, appearance, refractive index and impurity profile — checked against your purchase specification before we release the goods.
GHS Safety Data Sheet
Full 16-section SDS in GHS format covering flammability, exposure controls, handling, storage, spill response, toxicology and disposal — issued in the language your destination requires.
Dangerous Goods Declaration
UN number, hazard class, packing group and IMDG or IATA declaration prepared and filed before the container is booked, with correctly marked and labelled packaging.
Certificate of Origin
Chamber-attested where required, plus preferential-origin forms where a trade agreement gives your import duty relief at the destination.
Third-party inspection
SGS, Intertek or Bureau Veritas sampling and inspection arranged on request before loading, giving you independent verification of what actually ships.
Retained & pre-shipment samples
Pre-shipment samples carry the same COA as the commercial lot, so what your laboratory qualifies is exactly what arrives. Retention samples held against the batch.
Getting to 2,6-DFA and building from it
2,6-Difluoroaniline is itself a synthesised fine chemical — commercial routes build the two ortho fluorines onto the ring before or alongside installing the amine — and it then acts as the amine component in downstream amide, sulfonamide and heterocycle chemistry. The routes below are the general industrial and literature pattern, not a process disclosure.
Build the difluoro ring
Published routes reach the 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene or 1,3-difluorobenzene skeleton first, using selective halogen exchange and reduction steps to fix both fluorines ortho to the future amine position.
Install the amine
Amination of the difluorinated aromatic intermediate — or nitration and reduction of the corresponding nitro compound — installs the primary amine to give 2,6-difluoroaniline itself.
Use the amine downstream
The nitrogen is then condensed into amides, ureas, carbamates or sulfonamides — including triazolopyrimidine-sulfonamide herbicide actives — or built into heterocyclic pharmaceutical scaffolds.
Finish to grade
Crude 2,6-DFA is fractionated under reduced pressure and, where required, further purified to whatever the end market demands — colour, isomer purity, or a specific pharmaceutical impurity limit.
Why aniline quality carries through the whole route
Every downstream reaction acts on the same nitrogen. Anything in the feed that competes for that nitrogen, or carries its own reactive functionality, follows the material down the line:
- Isomeric fluoroanilines (2,4- or 3,4-difluoroaniline, mono-fluoroanilines) condense in parallel and give structurally similar by-products that are hard to remove from a pharmaceutical or herbicide intermediate.
- Residual water is tolerable in many amide-forming steps but can waste an acid chloride or isocyanate equivalent and generate HCl in the batch.
- Oxidation products — the coloured species responsible for the slow amber drift — can show as colour or as an extra impurity peak in an otherwise clean liquid.
- Heavy residues concentrate in the still bottoms and reduce the number of passes you get from a distillation train.
That chain of consequences is the reason we quote against your written specification rather than a generic "97% technical" grade, and the reason the batch COA is shared for approval before dispatch rather than sent with the invoice.
| Intermediate | Principal outlet |
|---|---|
| 2,6-Difluoroaniline CAS 5509-65-9 — this product | Pharmaceutical intermediates Sulfonamide herbicides Insecticide intermediates |
| 2,4-Difluoroaniline Sister isomer | Herbicide & pharmaceutical chemistry |
| Para Fluoroaniline Mono-fluorinated aniline | Pharmaceutical intermediates Dye chemistry |
If your route calls for a different fluorination pattern, we can source that as well — browse the full aniline & aromatic amine range and send us the CAS number so we can confirm the correct material before quoting.
What actually moves the price of this intermediate
2,6-DFA is not a commodity with a screen price. Knowing what drives the quote helps you time a purchase and read whether an offer is realistic.
Pharma and agro demand cycles
Pharmaceutical intermediate demand and agrochemical active-ingredient campaigns pull on the same fluoroaniline at different points in the year, so pricing can move with either sector's production calendar.
- Quote early for campaign tonnage
- Spot buying at peak costs materially more
- Contracted call-off smooths the exposure
Fluorination cost and capacity
Selective aromatic fluorination is a specialised, capital- and energy-intensive step. Fluorinating agent and feedstock availability weigh more heavily on this price than they do on a simple chlorinated aniline.
- Fluorination capacity is more concentrated
- Energy cost weighs on distillation and purification
- We flag feedstock-driven moves in the quote
Flammable-liquid compliance
Class 3 storage, transport and handling obligations add cost at every step from the producer's plant to your goods-in door. That cost sits inside the price, and it is one reason a generic liquid aniline quote will not match this one.
- Area classification and DG surcharges apply
- Some markets restrict certain transport routes
- We check destination rules before quoting
Pack format
Cost per kilo falls from small reagent bottles to drums to IBCs — and with a flammable liquid, bulk formats also cut the number of times an operator opens a container near an ignition source.
- Reagent bottles carry the highest packing cost
- IBCs are cheapest per kilo at volume
- Fewer transfers means lower ignition risk
Freight & DG surcharges
This is regulated cargo, so ocean and air freight both carry a hazardous surcharge and space is tighter than for general cargo. Destination and Incoterm move landed cost as much as the ex-works price does.
- Compare on landed cost, not ex-works
- DG space books out ahead of peak season
- We quote FOB, CIF, CFR or DDP as you prefer
Source availability
Specialty fluorination capacity is concentrated among fewer producers than a bulk chlorinated aniline. A plant turnaround or a regulatory inspection can take capacity offline at short notice, and single-sourced buyers feel this hardest.
- We hold a second qualified source on this line
- Qualify the alternate before you need it
- Ask us about dual-source contracts
| If your end use is… | Specify |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical intermediate chain | Tight isomer limit; metals and residues reported |
| Sulfonamide herbicide synthesis | High assay with controlled moisture |
| Insecticide intermediate route | High assay, colour ceiling on the COA |
| Dye & colour chemistry | Colour ceiling, tight isomer limit |
| Laboratory / R&D | Small pack, high purity, full analytical pack |
Not sure which column you are in? Describe the reaction you are running and our technical desk will recommend the grade — including telling you when a cheaper specification would do the job just as well.
Support that goes beyond shipping the drum
What our technical desk will do
- Match a grade to your reaction. Tell us the step you are running and we will recommend the specification — and say so plainly when a tighter, costlier grade would add nothing.
- Be straight about the hazard profile. We state the flammable-liquid classification and acute toxicity profile at enquiry stage so your EHS team can price the controls into the decision, rather than meeting it for the first time on the label.
- Advise on handling and storage for your site conditions — area classification and bonding/earthing requirements differ between a dedicated solvent store and a general chemicals warehouse.
- Review your specification before it goes into a contract, so you are not locked into a limit that no plant can consistently hit.
Regulatory & compliance notes
- Flammable-liquid obligations are site- and jurisdiction-specific. Several regimes impose area classification, DSEAR/ATEX-style controls, and storage-quantity thresholds for Class 3 liquids. Confirm what applies at your site before the first delivery.
- Import controls vary by destination. Some jurisdictions apply registration, licensing or end-use declaration requirements to fluorinated aniline intermediates. We check the destination rules before quoting, not after you have raised the PO.
- Chemical inventory listings differ between regions. Confirm your obligations under the applicable inventory regime for your import volume — we will supply the identity data you need for that filing.
- Downstream article restrictions can apply to certain pharmaceutical, agrochemical and colourant end uses. Your regulatory team should confirm the finished-product position for the end use you have in mind.
None of the above is legal advice — your own regulatory affairs team owns the final compliance position for your import and your workplace. What we commit to is giving you accurate product identity data, an honest statement of the hazard classification and complete documentation to work from.
From enquiry to delivered drum
Send the specification
Product name or CAS 5509-65-9, the assay and impurity limits you work to, quantity, pack preference and destination port.
Receive a firm quote
Pricing, lead time, packing and Incoterm confirmed in writing within 24 hours — our sourcing desk is staffed around the clock.
Qualify and approve
Sample dispatched if you are qualifying a new source. Batch COA shared for your approval before the material is released.
Ship and track
DG classification filed, freight booked, export documents issued, and the consignment tracked through transit and clearance to your plant.
Often bought alongside this grade
Consolidate several intermediates onto one shipment and one invoice. These are the fluorinated, chlorinated and other aromatic amines our pharmaceutical, agrochemical and fine chemical customers most often order in the same programme. Not every isomer below has its own page yet, so each one routes to our full product catalogue where our sourcing desk can confirm availability against the exact CAS number.
What buyers ask us about 2,6-Difluoroaniline
Is this material flammable?
Can I use a different difluoroaniline isomer instead?
What purity do you normally supply?
What is the minimum order quantity?
How long does delivery take?
Why does the liquid darken in storage?
How should we store it, and what is the shelf life?
Is this a dangerous good? What paperwork comes with it?
- Batch certificate of analysis
- GHS-format safety data sheet
- Dangerous-goods declaration with UN number, class and packing group
- Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading or airway bill
- Certificate of origin and any destination-specific forms
Do you supply to my country?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Can you hold stock against a production plan?
Request pricing on 2,6-Difluoroaniline
Send your required assay, quantity, pack format and destination port. Our sourcing desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and comes back with pricing, lead time and packing options — whether that is a single trial bottle or a contracted drum programme for the year.