3,4-Dichloroaniline
3,4-Dichloroaniline — 3,4-DCA across the trade — is the aniline that sits behind the phenylurea herbicide family. It is the starting point for diuron, linuron and propanil, and a workhorse coupling component in azo pigment chemistry.
Chelora Chemicals supplies 3,4-DCA to agrochemical formulators, pigment houses and intermediate manufacturers worldwide, in bags, drums and container quantities, with a batch COA and GHS safety data sheet on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 95-76-1
- IUPAC name
- 3,4-Dichloroaniline
- Molecular formula
- C6H5Cl2N
- Molecular weight
- 162.02 g/mol
- EC / EINECS
- 202-448-4
- MDL number
- MFCD00007602
- SMILES
- Nc1ccc(Cl)c(Cl)c1
- HS Code
- 2921 42*
* Confirm the exact HS heading with your customs broker — classification of halogenated aniline derivatives varies between destination tariffs.
What 3,4-Dichloroaniline is used for
3,4-Dichloroaniline is a meta-para dichlorinated aromatic amine — an aniline ring carrying chlorine at the 3 and 4 positions. That substitution pattern is the entire commercial point of the molecule. The two chlorines withdraw electron density from the ring and from the amine, and that electronic character is what the finished herbicide relies on for its stability in soil and its binding at the target site.
In practice 3,4-DCA is almost never an end product. It is a captive intermediate: plants buy it to phosgenate, acylate or diazotise. The outlets that matter commercially are the substituted urea herbicides — diuron and linuron — and the anilide herbicide propanil, all of which have been applied at scale for decades across cotton, cereals, sugarcane and rice.
Why the isomer matters
"Dichloroaniline" on its own is not a specification. Six isomers exist, they look identical on a packing list, and the wrong one is worthless downstream:
- 3,4-Dichloroaniline (CAS 95-76-1) — this product. Chlorines meta and para to the amine. The phenylurea herbicide intermediate.
- 2,5-Dichloroaniline (CAS 95-82-9) — an ortho-para pattern used mainly in azo pigment and dye chemistry. See our 2,5-dichloroaniline page.
- 2,4-Dichloroaniline (CAS 554-00-7) — another dye and agro intermediate, and not interchangeable with either of the above.
If your purchase order simply says "DCA", quote us the CAS number and we will confirm the correct material before the order is placed. We supply the sister isomers as well, so there is nothing to gain from guessing.
Appearance and handling character
3,4-DCA ships as a white to light brown crystalline solid or flake that melts just above 70 °C — which means it is handled as a solid in temperate stores but will soften or fuse in an uncooled container in a tropical summer. Plan for that: a drum that has cycled through melt and re-solidification is chemically sound but can set as a single cake. It is only slightly soluble in water and readily soluble in alcohols, ketones and aromatic solvents. Like all anilines it darkens on exposure to air and light, drifting from off-white toward grey-brown. That colour drift is cosmetic in most herbicide routes but matters in pigment work, so tell us at enquiry stage if you need a colour ceiling.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to light brown crystals / flakes |
| Assay (GC) | 99.0% min |
| Moisture (KF) | 0.3% max |
| Melting range | 70 – 72 °C |
| Total isomeric impurities | 1.0% max |
| Non-volatile residue | 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 | Crystalline solid at ambient |
| Melting point | ≈ 71 °C |
| Boiling point | ≈ 272 °C @ 760 mmHg |
| Flash point | ≈ 166 °C |
| Relative density | ≈ 1.57 |
| Partition coeff. (log P) | ≈ 2.7 |
| Water solubility | Slightly soluble |
| Organic solubility | Soluble in alcohols, ketones, aromatic & chlorinated solvents |
| Odour | Faint, amine-like |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 95-76-1 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this molecule to work
The bulk of global 3,4-DCA consumption goes into herbicide actives. The balance is spread across pigments, antimicrobials and specialty synthesis.
Diuron
The dominant outlet. 3,4-DCA is converted to the corresponding isocyanate and reacted with dimethylamine to build the substituted urea. Diuron remains a staple residual herbicide in cotton, sugarcane, citrus and non-crop industrial vegetation control.
- Largest single source of 3,4-DCA demand
- Isomeric impurity carries straight into the active
- Moisture control critical at the phosgenation step
Linuron & neburon
The same isocyanate intermediate reacted with N-methoxy-N-methylamine gives linuron, used selectively in carrots, potatoes and cereals. Neburon and related ureas follow the same chemistry with a different amine partner.
- Shares the front half of the diuron route
- Often run in the same plant campaign
- Assay consistency drives step yield
Propanil
Direct propionylation of the amine gives propanil, the contact anilide herbicide used across rice production. A simpler one-step route from this aniline, and one where residual isomers show up immediately in the finished active.
- Single acylation step from 3,4-DCA
- Rice programmes across Asia and the Americas
- Colour and isomer profile both visible downstream
Dye & pigment intermediates
Diazotised 3,4-DCA serves as a coupling component in azo chemistry. The two ring chlorines shift shade, raise lightfastness and improve solvent resistance compared with plain aniline or the toluidines.
- Azo diazo components
- Shade and fastness modification
- See our full dye intermediate range
Antimicrobial & specialty chemistry
Via the 3,4-dichlorophenyl isocyanate route, 3,4-DCA feeds carbanilide antimicrobials and a range of substituted ureas used outside crop protection — typically alongside para chloroaniline.
- Substituted urea and carbanilide chemistry
- Pharmaceutical and veterinary intermediates
- Available in trial and laboratory quantities
Contract & scheduled supply
Herbicide production runs to a season, not to a calendar month. Most 3,4-DCA buyers want tonnage 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 3,4-Dichloroaniline
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. We own no dichloroaniline plant — and for a specification-sensitive 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 — critically for a seasonal herbicide input — your delivery window.
We keep a second qualified source on this line. When a plant goes down for maintenance, or a monsoon disrupts a road corridor, your programme switches source rather than stalling three weeks before campaign.
- Specification read against the CAS first. We confirm you need 95-76-1 and not one of the other five dichloroaniline isomers 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.
- 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 your climate. With a melting point just above 70 °C, pack format and stowage matter on a tropical routing. We plan both with you.
- Trial bag to full container. Start with one 25 kg bag and scale to contracted container supply as your campaign firms up.
- 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 3,4-DCA 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. Tell us how the material will be charged at your end and we will quote the format that suits your operation — not just the one that suits ours.
Multi-wall paper & PE bags
Laminated multi-wall bags with an inner liner, palletised and shrink-wrapped. The default for LCL movements and for plants charging batch-wise by hand.
Fibre & HDPE drums
UN-certified drums with liner for longer sea transits and humid destinations. Better protection against moisture pick-up and caking than bagged material.
Jumbo / FIBC bags
Bulk bags with liner for high-volume users with mechanical charging. Fewer handling movements and materially lower packing cost per kilo.
Samples & trial packs
Laboratory samples and pilot quantities dispatched by courier so your R&D team can qualify the grade before committing to campaign volume.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to. Ocean, air and road freight arranged end-to-end with documentation filed before booking.
Campaign despatch
Herbicide production is seasonal. We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your production calendar instead of landing it all at once.
Handle this as a toxic, absorbable amine
3,4-DCA is not a benign solid. Like the chloroanilines generally, it is acutely toxic by all three routes, readily absorbed through intact skin, and very toxic to aquatic life. 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 and emergency planning.
Classified hazards
H301Toxic if swallowed.H311Toxic in contact with skin.H331Toxic if inhaled.H317May cause an allergic skin reaction.H400Very toxic to aquatic life.H410Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Hazard statements reflect the GHS classification commonly published for CAS 95-76-1. Supplier classifications may differ in detail; always read the SDS issued with your specific batch.
Spill & emergency orientation
Plan your response before the pallet arrives, not after a bag splits. 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.
- Sweep, do not hose. The material is very toxic to aquatic life. Collect spilled solid mechanically into a labelled container; never wash it to a drain.
- Suppress dust. Dry sweeping of a fine solid generates an inhalable aerosol — use vacuum collection or dampen carefully in line with the SDS.
- Assume skin absorption. Contaminated clothing is a continuing exposure route — remove it immediately and wash the skin thoroughly.
- Have the SDS with the casualty. If medical attention is needed, the responder needs the product identity and CAS number in hand. Chloroanilines can cause methaemoglobinaemia and clinicians should be told what they are treating.
- Dispose as regulated waste through a licensed contractor, in line with your local chemical waste regulations.
Storage
- Cool, dry, well-ventilated store, away from direct sunlight and heat sources. The melting point is only about 71 °C, so an uncooled store in a hot climate can fuse the contents into a cake.
- Keep containers tightly closed. Air and light drive the off-white to grey-brown colour drift typical of anilines, and an open bag will also pick up moisture.
- Segregate from oxidising agents, strong acids and acid chlorides. As a primary aromatic amine it reacts exothermically with acylating and oxidising reagents.
- Bunded, sealed-floor storage. The compound is very toxic to aquatic life — containment matters more than dilution in a spill scenario.
- Shelf life is typically 12–24 months in sealed original packing under these conditions. Re-assay before use after long storage.
Handling & PPE
- Skin protection is the priority. Chloroanilines are absorbed through intact skin — chemical-resistant gloves and coveralls, not just splash protection. H317 also applies, so sensitisation is a real risk for repeat handlers.
- Engineering controls first. Charge under local exhaust ventilation or in a closed transfer system; the faint odour is no warning of exposure at all.
- Respiratory protection where dust or vapour may be generated — particularly when breaking a caked drum — per your own exposure assessment.
- Eye protection and an accessible eyewash and safety shower at all charging points.
- Never discharge to drain or watercourse. H410 applies — collect spills as solid waste and dispose of them as regulated chemical waste.
Transport
3,4-DCA moves as regulated cargo. We classify each consignment, apply UN-approved packaging and labelling, and file the dangerous-goods declaration before the booking is made. The applicable 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, melting range 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 hazards, 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.
How this aniline becomes a phenylurea herbicide
Understanding what happens to 3,4-DCA downstream explains why the specification matters so much — and why an apparently small impurity in the aniline shows up as a yield problem two steps later. The route below is the general industrial pattern, not a process disclosure.
Start with the chlorinated aniline
3,4-DCA provides an aromatic amine flanked by chlorine at the 3 and 4 positions. That electron-poor ring is what gives the finished herbicide its soil persistence profile.
Form the isocyanate
The amine is converted to 3,4-dichlorophenyl isocyanate. Water in the feed destroys reagent and generates HCl in the batch, which is why moisture is specified tightly.
Add the amine partner
Dimethylamine gives diuron; N-methoxy-N-methylamine gives linuron. For propanil the aniline is instead acylated directly with propionyl chloride in a single step.
Purify and formulate
The crude active is crystallised and dried, then formulated as a wettable powder, WDG or suspension concentrate for the field.
Why aniline quality carries through the whole route
Every one of those steps acts on the nitrogen. Anything in the feed that competes for that nitrogen, or that carries its own reactive functionality, follows the material down the line:
- Isomeric anilines react in parallel and produce structurally similar ureas or anilides that are difficult and expensive to separate from the finished active.
- Residual water consumes phosgene or the acid chloride, wastes an expensive reagent and generates HCl that attacks equipment and depresses yield.
- Oxidation products — the coloured species responsible for the grey-brown drift — can carry into the active and show up as off-colour in the formulated product.
- Heavy residues concentrate in the still bottoms and reduce the number of passes you get from a distillation or crystallisation train.
That chain of consequences is the reason we quote against your written specification rather than a generic "99% technical" grade, and the reason the batch COA is shared for approval before dispatch rather than sent with the invoice.
| Intermediate | Downstream product |
|---|---|
| 3,4-Dichloroaniline CAS 95-76-1 — this product | Diuron Linuron Propanil |
| 2,5-Dichloroaniline CAS 95-82-9 | Azo pigments Dye intermediates |
| Para Chloroaniline CAS 106-47-8 | Monuron Carbanilide antimicrobials Azo pigments |
If your route calls for one of the others, we supply those as well — see 2,5-dichloroaniline and para chloroaniline. Send the CAS number and we will confirm the correct material before quoting.
What actually moves the price of this intermediate
3,4-DCA 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.
Seasonality
Herbicide manufacture runs ahead of the spray season, so aniline demand peaks well before a sprayer ever enters a field. Northern and southern hemisphere campaigns stagger the load through the year.
- Quote early for pre-season tonnage
- Spot buying at peak costs materially more
- Contracted call-off smooths the exposure
Upstream feedstock
The route back to 3,4-DCA runs through chlorinated benzenes and the nitration– reduction chain. Movements in benzene, chlorine and hydrogen feed through to the aniline within a quarter or so.
- Chlorine and benzene set the floor
- Energy cost weighs on distillation
- We flag feedstock-driven moves in the quote
Specification tier
Herbicide-grade material with tight isomer and moisture limits prices above technical grade destined for pigment work. Paying for a spec you do not need is a common and avoidable cost.
- Tell us the end use, not just the purity
- Technical grade suits non-agro outlets
- We will say when a tighter spec is unnecessary
Pack format
Cost per kilo falls from 25 kg bags to drums to jumbo bags. If your charging system can take a bulk bag, the saving over a season usually dwarfs the handling change.
- Small bags carry the highest packing cost
- FIBC is cheapest per kilo at volume
- Disposal of packing is a hidden cost at your end
Freight & DG surcharges
This is regulated cargo, so ocean freight carries 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
A plant turnaround, an environmental inspection or a monsoon disruption can take capacity offline at short notice. 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 |
|---|---|
| Diuron / linuron | High assay, tight isomer limit, controlled moisture |
| Propanil | As above, with moisture the critical parameter |
| Azo pigments & dyes | Colour ceiling usually matters more than assay |
| Carbanilide / urea chemistry | Low isomer content; heavy-ends limit worth setting |
| 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 bag
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.
- Suggest a workable substitute. If 3,4-DCA is tight or the price has moved against you, we will tell you whether an alternative aniline fits your route rather than simply reporting no stock.
- Advise on handling and storage for your site conditions — a bagged store in a Gulf summer is a different problem from one in northern Europe, especially for a solid that melts at 71 °C.
- 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
- Import controls vary by destination. Because 3,4-DCA is a herbicide precursor, some jurisdictions apply registration, licensing or end-use declaration requirements. 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.
- Dangerous goods documentation is prepared by our export desk and filed before booking, so the consignment is not held at origin for paperwork.
- End-use declarations can be provided where your customs authority requires confirmation of the intended downstream application.
None of the above is legal advice — your own regulatory affairs team owns the final compliance position for your import. What we commit to is giving you accurate product identity data and complete documentation to work from.
From enquiry to delivered pallet
Send the specification
Product name or CAS 95-76-1, 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 anilines and aromatics our agrochemical and pigment customers most often order in the same programme.
What buyers ask us about 3,4-Dichloroaniline
Is 3,4-DCA interchangeable with 2,4- or 2,5-dichloroaniline?
What purity do you normally supply?
What is the minimum order quantity?
Can I get a sample before committing to an order?
How long does delivery take?
The material arrived caked or partly fused. Is it off-spec?
Why does the solid 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 seasonal production plan?
Request pricing on 3,4-Dichloroaniline
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 bag or a contracted container programme for the season.