2,4-Dinitroaniline
2,4-Dinitroaniline sits two nitro groups away from ordinary aniline reactivity. That double deactivation is the whole commercial story: the amine is barely basic, the ring is almost inert to further electrophilic attack, and the compound is valued precisely for being a stable, sharply coloured, chemically quiet aromatic amine — useful in dyes, pigments and as a starting point for the corresponding diamine.
Chelora Chemicals supplies 2,4-DNA to dye and pigment manufacturers, agrochemical producers and fine chemical plants worldwide, in bags and drums, with a batch COA and GHS safety data sheet on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 97-02-9
- IUPAC name
- 2,4-Dinitroaniline
- Molecular formula
- C6H5N3O4
- Molecular weight
- 183.12 g/mol
- EC / EINECS
- 202-553-5
- MDL number
- MFCD00007151
- SMILES
- Nc1ccc([N+](=O)[O-])cc1[N+](=O)[O-]
- HS Code
- 2921 51*
* Confirm the exact HS heading with your customs broker — nitroanilines sit under a different subheading from the simple anilines, and destination tariffs vary.
What 2,4-Dinitroaniline is used for
2,4-Dinitroaniline carries two nitro groups, ortho and para to the amine. Each nitro group withdraws electron density from the ring; together, they leave the nitrogen almost non-basic and the ring almost unreactive toward the electrophilic chemistry that a plain aniline undergoes readily. What that trade-off buys you is stability and a strong, characteristic yellow-orange colour — which is why this compound shows up far more often as a colourant or colourant precursor than as a general synthesis intermediate.
The two most common commercial paths are diazotisation — which, despite the deactivated ring, still proceeds under the right conditions and gives access to strongly coloured azo chromophores — and catalytic reduction of the nitro groups to give 2,4-diaminoaniline, a triamine used further downstream in oxidation dye and heterocyclic chemistry.
Why the isomer matters
Several dinitroaniline isomers exist and they are not interchangeable — a shift in nitro position changes both the colour and the reduction chemistry:
- 2,4-Dinitroaniline (CAS 97-02-9) — this product. Nitro groups ortho and para to the amine.
- 2,6-Dinitroaniline (CAS 606-22-4) — both nitro groups ortho, a more sterically hindered pattern with different reactivity.
- 3,5-Dinitroaniline (CAS 618-87-1) — both nitro groups meta, used in different azo and heterocyclic routes.
If your purchase order simply says "dinitroaniline", quote us the CAS number and we will confirm the correct material before the order is placed. We supply the related nitro- and diamino-anilines as well — see the full intermediate range.
Appearance and handling character
2,4-DNA ships as a light yellow to amber or dark green crystalline powder melting around 178–182 °C — comfortably above ambient, so it stays a stable solid in ordinary storage. It is essentially insoluble in water and soluble in acetone, ethyl acetate and most alcohols. It is genuinely air-sensitive: suppliers routinely recommend inert-gas storage in a cool, dark place, and material that has sat open to air can shift colour from yellow toward dark green over time. That colour drift is not merely cosmetic on this product — it reflects real oxidative change and is worth checking before you charge a batch that has been open a while.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Light yellow to amber powder / crystal |
| Assay (GC) | 98.0% min |
| Melting range | 178 – 182 °C |
| Moisture | Reported per batch |
| Isomeric impurities | Reported per batch |
| Insolubles / 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 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 | ≈ 178 – 182 °C |
| Boiling point | Decomposes before boiling |
| Flash point | ≈ 224 °C |
| Relative density | ≈ 1.61 |
| Water solubility | ≈ 0.06 g/L @ 20 °C — practically insoluble |
| Organic solubility | Soluble in acetone, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, most alcohols |
| Stability | Air sensitive; store cool, dark, under inert gas |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 97-02-9 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this molecule to work
2,4-DNA's stability and strong colour make it a useful direct colourant precursor as well as a reduction feedstock. Its volume is spread across dyes, pigments, agrochemical and pharmaceutical synthesis.
Dyes & pigments
Used as a diazo component in azo dye and pigment chemistry, where the two nitro groups deepen shade toward orange and red and improve lightfastness relative to a non-nitrated aniline. The stability of the deactivated ring also helps finished dye fastness.
- Azo diazo component for orange and red shades
- Lightfastness benefit from the nitro substitution
- Colour ceiling worth specifying at enquiry
Reduction to 2,4-diaminoaniline
Catalytic hydrogenation of both nitro groups gives 2,4-diaminoaniline, a triamine used in oxidation dye chemistry and as a building block for heterocyclic ring systems where multiple adjacent or para-related amines are needed.
- Hydrogenation feedstock
- Catalyst poisons in the feed are the key risk
- Downstream triamine chemistry
Pharmaceutical intermediates
The deactivated, stable ring and the defined nitro substitution pattern make 2,4-DNA a useful starting point for heterocyclic and specialty drug intermediate synthesis where controlled reactivity is an asset rather than a limitation.
- Heterocyclic ring construction
- Controlled, low-side-reaction chemistry
- Tight isomer and colour limits usually apply
Agrochemical intermediates
Used across pesticide and herbicide synthesis where a stable, defined dinitroaniline fragment is required on the finished active, or as a route to specialty diamine intermediates for crop-protection chemistry.
- Herbicide and pesticide intermediate routes
- Custom synthesis quantities
- See our agrochemical intermediate range
Fine & specialty synthesis
A stable, well-characterised nitroaromatic building block for research and custom synthesis where the deactivated ring and defined melting point make it a convenient reference or starting material.
- Research and pilot-scale chemistry
- Reference-grade material available
- Available in trial and laboratory quantities
Contract & scheduled supply
Dye and pigment plants run shade campaigns, not continuous single-product output. Most 2,4-DNA 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
- Fresher material at the point of use
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply 2,4-Dinitroaniline
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. We own no nitroaniline plant — and for a colour- and oxidation-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, or whatever has been sitting longest in a warehouse.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your assay, your colour requirement, your price point and your delivery window.
On 2,4-DNA specifically we pay attention to storage history, not just the COA. A certificate issued months ago against material that has since sat open in a warm store tells you very little about the drum you are opening.
- Specification read against the CAS first. We confirm you need 97-02-9 and not the 2,6- or 3,5-dinitro isomer before we quote a price.
- Batch COA shared before dispatch. You approve the assay, colour and impurity profile against your own spec while the material is still in our warehouse.
- Inert-gas packing on request. Where colour and assay retention matter, we arrange nitrogen-blanketed packing so the material reaches you in the condition it left the plant.
- Catalyst-sensitive buyers taken seriously. If sulphur or heavy-metal traces would poison your hydrogenation catalyst on the reduction route, tell us and we will source and test against that limit.
- Pre-shipment samples for qualification. New account or new source, your laboratory runs a coupling or reduction trial before the full quantity ever moves.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Hazard classification, UN-approved packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
Packed to keep air out
With an oxidation-sensitive solid, pack format decides what condition the material is in when your operator opens it. Tell us how it will be charged at your end and we will quote accordingly.
Multi-wall bags with liner
Laminated multi-wall bags with a sealed inner liner, palletised and shrink-wrapped. Economical, and the smaller unit means less material exposed once a pack is opened.
Fibre & HDPE drums
UN-certified drums with liner — the preferred format for 2,4-DNA on longer sea transits. Far better protection against air ingress than bagged material.
Inert-gas packing
Drums sealed under a nitrogen headspace where colour and assay retention matter — dye and pharmaceutical-chain buyers should ask for this as standard.
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
Because fresher is better on this product, we hold contracted quantity and release it against your production calendar instead of landing a year's requirement at once.
Handle this as a fatal-on-contact nitroaromatic
2,4-DNA carries an unusually severe acute toxicity profile for an intermediate this widely used: fatal in contact with skin or if inhaled, toxic if swallowed, with organ-toxicity and suspected mutagenicity entries alongside it. This is not a product to handle casually. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your consignment is the authoritative document and must govern your risk assessment, PPE selection, exposure monitoring and emergency planning.
Classified hazards
H310Fatal in contact with skin.H330Fatal if inhaled.H301Toxic if swallowed.H315Causes skin irritation.H319Causes serious eye irritation.H373May cause organ damage through prolonged or repeated exposure.H411Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Hazard statements reflect the GHS classification commonly published for CAS 97-02-9. Some suppliers additionally assign a mutagenicity entry (H341). Always read the SDS issued with your specific batch, and treat the fatal-on- contact and fatal-if-inhaled entries as the ones that must shape every control you put in place.
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 must be posted at the point of use.
- Any skin contact is a medical emergency. H310 means fatality is possible from skin contact alone. Remove contaminated clothing immediately, wash thoroughly, and get the casualty to medical attention without delay.
- Any inhalation is a medical emergency. H330 applies. Move the casualty to fresh air immediately and seek medical attention — do not wait to see whether symptoms develop.
- Sweep, do not hose. The material is toxic to aquatic life. Collect spilled solid mechanically into a labelled, closed container; never wash it to a drain.
- Suppress dust without generating more. Dry sweeping of a fine powder generates an inhalable aerosol — use vacuum collection with appropriate filtration, not a broom.
- Have the SDS with the casualty at all times. The treating clinician needs the product identity, the CAS number and the fatal-hazard classification in hand immediately.
Storage
- Cool, dry, dark and sealed, under inert gas. Air and light drive oxidation that costs assay and shifts colour toward dark green.
- Access-controlled storage. Given the fatal-on-contact classification, restricting who can reach the store is a control measure, not an administrative nicety.
- Segregate from oxidising agents, strong acids and reducing agents that are not part of a controlled hydrogenation process.
- Bunded storage with a sealed floor. The compound is toxic to aquatic life, and containment matters given the acute severity of skin and inhalation exposure.
- Shelf life is typically 12–24 months in sealed, inert-gas-blanketed original packing. Re-assay before use after long storage.
Handling & PPE
- Design exposure out entirely — do not manage it down. With a fatal-on-contact and fatal-if-inhaled classification, closed transfer and mechanical charging are not optional refinements; they are the baseline.
- Full-coverage, chemical-resistant skin protection at every point of contact — gloves, coveralls and a hard rule against any bare-skin exposure.
- Respiratory protection is mandatory, not conditional, wherever dust may be present — appropriate to the exposure assessment your occupational hygienist has carried out.
- Eye protection and an accessible, tested eyewash and safety shower at every charging point.
- Health surveillance and exposure records belong in your occupational health programme given the severity of this classification — confirm the requirement with your EHS function before the first delivery.
Transport
2,4-DNA moves as regulated cargo (UN 1596). We classify each consignment, apply UN-approved packaging and labelling, and file the dangerous-goods declaration before the booking is made. The applicable 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, appearance, colour, melting range and impurity profile — checked against your purchase specification before we release the goods.
Manufacturing date & lot age
For an air-sensitive nitroaromatic this belongs on the same page as the assay. We disclose production date and storage history for the lot we are offering, not just its certificate.
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 1596 number, hazard class, packing group and IMDG or IATA declaration prepared and filed before the container is booked, with correctly marked and labelled packaging.
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.
Deactivated, and useful precisely because of it
Most anilines are valued for how readily their ring reacts. This one is valued partly for the opposite reason. The routes below are the general industrial pattern, not a process disclosure.
Start with the doubly deactivated ring
Two nitro groups pull electron density from the ring and the nitrogen, leaving a stable, weakly basic amine that resists side reactions other anilines are prone to.
Diazotise under forcing conditions
Where azo colour chemistry is the goal, diazotisation still proceeds, though it typically needs more forcing conditions than an electron-rich aniline requires.
Or reduce to the triamine
Catalytic hydrogenation of both nitro groups gives 2,4-diaminoaniline, opening a different branch of chemistry built around three amine functions on one ring.
Elaborate to the finished product
Whichever branch is taken, the intermediate is purified and elaborated into the finished dye, pigment, active or heterocycle the end market demands.
Why feed quality carries through the whole route
Because this material is chosen for controlled, low-side-reaction chemistry, an impurity that introduces an unexpected reaction pathway is more disruptive here than on a more reactive aniline:
- Isomeric dinitroanilines behave differently under diazotisation and reduction, and a mixed feed gives an inconsistent product distribution that is hard to explain, let alone correct.
- Catalyst poisons — sulphur species and certain metal traces — deactivate a hydrogenation charge on the reduction route. The cost is the catalyst and the lost campaign hours, not just the impurity itself.
- Oxidation products from air exposure during storage are the coloured species behind the drift toward dark green, and they carry through into whatever the material is used to make.
- Residual moisture and insolubles add filtration load and can affect yield in either downstream route.
That chain of consequences is the reason we quote against your written specification rather than a generic "98% technical" grade, and the reason the batch COA and lot age are both shared for approval before dispatch rather than sent with the invoice.
| Route | Product & typical use |
|---|---|
| Diazotisation & coupling | Azo dyes and pigments Orange and red shade ranges |
| Catalytic hydrogenation | 2,4-Diaminoaniline Oxidation dyes, heterocyclic chemistry |
| Direct use | Reference material Custom and research synthesis |
We supply the related nitroaniline isomers and the diamino derivatives as well — see the full intermediate range. Send the CAS number and we will confirm the correct material before quoting.
What actually moves the price of this intermediate
2,4-DNA 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.
Downstream demand mix
Dye and pigment demand tracks textile and coatings cycles; the hydrogenation route tracks whatever the diaminoaniline is feeding. The two pull on the same nitroaniline at different times.
- Quote early for campaign tonnage
- Spot buying at peak costs materially more
- Contracted call-off smooths the exposure
Upstream feedstock
The route back to 2,4-DNA runs through dinitrochlorobenzene and the amination chain. Movements in benzene, nitric acid and chlorine feed through within a quarter or so.
- Nitration chain sets the floor
- Handling costs reflect the acute hazard profile
- We flag feedstock-driven moves in the quote
Specification tier
Reduction-grade material with limits on catalyst poisons, and colour-house material with a tight shade ceiling, both price above a general technical grade. Paying for a spec you do not need is a common and avoidable cost.
- Tell us the end use, not just the purity
- We will say when a tighter spec is unnecessary
- Catalyst-poison limits matter most on the reduction route
Lot age and freshness
Aged stock on this product is worth less, because colour drift from air exposure is a real quality signal here, not a cosmetic one. A cheap offer on old stock is rarely the bargain it appears to be.
- Ask for the manufacturing date, always
- Check colour on arrival, not at point of use
- Scheduled release beats bulk stockpiling
Freight & DG surcharges
This is regulated cargo with a severe hazard classification, so 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 |
|---|---|
| Azo dyes & pigments | Colour ceiling, tight isomer limit, low insolubles |
| Hydrogenation to diaminoaniline | Low catalyst poisons, controlled moisture |
| Pharmaceutical intermediates | Tight isomer limit; metals and residues reported |
| Agrochemical intermediates | High assay with controlled moisture |
| Laboratory / R&D | Small pack, inert packing, 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 whether you are diazotising or reducing, and we will recommend the specification accordingly.
- Take your catalyst seriously. If your hydrogenation charge is sensitive to particular trace species, we will source and test against that limit rather than shipping a generic technical grade.
- Be honest about colour. We will tell you what the colour drift is likely costing you on a colour-sensitive route and what packing prevents it.
- 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
- Severe hazard classification. Given the fatal-on-contact and fatal-if-inhaled entries, confirm your site's occupational health obligations, exposure monitoring and record-retention requirements before the first delivery — this is not a substance to onboard informally.
- Import controls vary by destination. Some jurisdictions apply registration, licensing or end-use declaration requirements to nitroaromatics. 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.
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 97-02-9, the assay, colour and impurity limits you work to, quantity, pack preference and destination port.
Receive a firm quote
Pricing, lead time, packing, lot age 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 and manufacturing date 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.
What buyers ask us about 2,4-Dinitroaniline
How dangerous is this material, really?
Can I substitute the 2,6- or 3,5-dinitro isomer?
What purity do you normally supply?
Why does the material darken toward dark green? Is it off-spec?
What is the minimum order quantity?
How long does delivery take?
Should I ask for nitrogen-blanketed packing?
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, with the manufacturing date
- 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 2,4-Dinitroaniline
Send your required assay, colour ceiling, 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, lot age and packing options — whether that is a single trial bag or a contracted programme for the season.