1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene
1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene is a white crystalline solid — a genuinely different physical form from the liquid chlorobenzenes elsewhere in our range — supplied chiefly as a dielectric coolant and heat-transfer medium, with no confirmed harmonised EU hazard entry of its own.
What 1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene is, and why buyers source it
A working overview of the compound's chemistry, its place in the aniline-derivative family, and the grades Chelora Chemicals keeps in regular supply.
We want to flag the most operationally important fact about this compound up front: unlike Mono Chlorobenzene, both dichlorobenzene isomers, and 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene — all liquids at normal ambient temperature — 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene is a white crystalline solid, melting at 53.5 °C. That's well above any ambient temperature it will see in transit or storage in a warm climate, so it ships and stores as a genuine solid, not a liquid that happens to be packed in drums.
Commercially, this isomer is used as a herbicide-related process intermediate, as a solvent for other high-melting materials, and — distinctively among the chlorobenzenes in our range — as a dielectric coolant in electrical transformers and as a heat-transfer medium in glass-tempering operations, applications that specifically benefit from its high boiling point and thermal stability.
Where it fits in the synthesis chain
We supply 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene itself as a specialty solid intermediate and dielectric/heat-transfer material.
Grades we supply
98%+ technical grade is the standard commercial offering.
How 1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene is made
An overview of the production route for orientation purposes. Our manufacturing partners' own process parameters and in-process controls are proprietary and are not disclosed beyond what is needed to interpret the certificate of analysis.
1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene is made industrially by two documented routes. The first is dehydrohalogenation of hexachlorocyclohexane (the technical-grade mixture historically produced alongside the insecticide lindane), which co-produces the 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene isomer alongside this one. The second is as a minor co-product of standard benzene chlorination with FeCl3, forming in smaller amount than the dichlorobenzene isomers or the 1,2,4-trichloro isomer.
Given its relatively high melting point, isolating this isomer to commercial purity from either route relies on crystallization as much as distillation — the solid readily separates from residual liquid isomers and starting material once the mixture is cooled below its melting point.
The finished crystalline product is tested for isomeric purity (particularly against 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene carryover, which have similar physical properties), melting point, and colour before release.
A solid product — plan packaging and handling accordingly
Because this is a genuinely solid material at essentially all realistic storage and transit temperatures, we supply and ship it either as solid flake or, where a buyer's process calls for it, pre-melted in heated containers — not as a free-flowing liquid in standard drums the way we handle the rest of our chlorobenzene range. Specify which form suits your intake process when ordering.
Industries and processes that use it
1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene is consumed almost entirely as a synthesis intermediate. The four fields below account for most of the demand we see through our export desk.
Dielectric Coolant
Used as a dielectric coolant in electrical transformers, taking advantage of its high boiling point and thermal/chemical stability.
Glass-Tempering Heat-Transfer Medium
Used as a heat-transfer medium in glass-tempering operations, a distinctive high-temperature application among the chlorobenzenes in our range.
Herbicide-Related Process Intermediate
Used as a process intermediate in select herbicide-related chemistry.
Solvent for High-Melting Materials
Used as a solvent for other high-melting-point materials where its own solid-at-ambient form and high boiling point are actually an advantage, not a limitation.
How the molecule is typically carried forward
1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene's reaction chemistry follows the same general electrophilic-substitution pattern as the rest of the chlorobenzene family, though its commercial use leans toward thermal/dielectric applications where chemical stability — not further reactivity — is the valued property.
Thermal and chemical stability as a functional property
What matters most for this compound's dielectric and heat-transfer uses is its resistance to breakdown under sustained heat and electrical stress, not a reaction it undergoes — this stability is the core of its value in transformer and glass-tempering applications.
Further chlorination (minor route)
Additional chlorination can give higher-chlorinated benzenes, though this is not a standard use for this specific grade.
Nucleophilic aromatic substitution under forcing conditions
The chlorines can be displaced by strong nucleophiles under forcing conditions in specialty herbicide-related synthesis.
1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene against its near relatives
1,2,3- and 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene are the two trichlorobenzene isomers in our range — close structural relatives that differ sharply in physical state, hazard documentation, and typical application.
| Product | CAS Number | Typically Used In | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene | 87-61-6 | Dielectric coolant; glass-tempering heat-transfer medium | The product on this page. Solid, mp 53.5 °C. |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | 120-82-1 | Dielectric/heat-transfer fluid; dye-carrier; GPC solvent | Also supplied — see its product page. Liquid, mp 16.9 °C. |
| Ortho Dichlorobenzene | 95-50-1 | Metal degreasing solvent; textile dye carrier | Also supplied — see its product page. Liquid, mp −17 °C. |
| Mono Chlorobenzene | 108-90-7 | Industrial solvent; nitrochlorobenzene/aniline chain | Also supplied — see its product page. Liquid, mp −45.6 °C. |
Exact physical constants and purity specifications are confirmed per batch on the certificate of analysis — treat the notes above as a sourcing guide rather than a specification sheet.
Safety classification at a glance
Based on GHS classification as commonly listed for this substance. This is a summary for orientation only — always work from the current safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch.
Harmful if swallowed.
Causes eye irritation.
May cause respiratory irritation.
May cause damage to organs (gastrointestinal tract).
May cause damage to organs (liver, thyroid) through prolonged or repeated exposure.
Very toxic to aquatic life.
Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Warning
We could not confirm a harmonised EU CLP Annex VI entry for this specific isomer, despite one existing for all four other chlorobenzenes in our range — this is a genuine data gap, not an oversight on our part. The classification above reflects a GHS self-classification assessment (sourced via Japan's NITE database): acute oral toxicity, eye and respiratory irritation, gastrointestinal effects, liver/thyroid effects on repeated exposure, and very toxic to aquatic life. IARC has not evaluated this substance. We recommend checking the SDS shipped with each lot as the governing document given the absence of a binding harmonised classification.
Keeping it on spec between delivery and use
General storage guidance for this grade. Site-specific storage rules, segregation requirements and re-test intervals should follow your own EHS procedures and the MSDS issued with your batch.
Store as a solid, below its 53.5 °C melting point, in a cool, dry area. If a shipment has been exposed to heat in transit and partially melted, allow it to re-solidify and homogenise before sampling. Keep away from strong oxidisers.
How it ships from Indonesia
Standard packing and export terms for this product. Confirm exact figures against your order — they vary slightly by destination and quantity.
What travels with every batch
Specification is agreed before the purchase order, not discovered on arrival. Every shipment of 1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene leaves with a documented, checkable paper trail.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-wise assay (by GC), isomer purity, melting point range and moisture, issued against the agreed specification so your QC team can check it, not just file it.
Safety Data Sheet
GHS-format SDS in English covering hazard classification, handling, storage, first-aid and spill response for the exact grade shipped.
Technical Data Sheet
Reference physical and chemical properties, recommended storage and typical applications, for internal circulation to your process or R&D teams.
Certificate of Origin
Confirms Indonesian origin for customs clearance and any preferential-duty claim at your destination port.
Dangerous Goods Declaration
UN packing group, classification and shipper's declaration prepared ahead of loading so documentation never holds up customs.
Third-Party Inspection
Independent pre-shipment inspection and re-sampling can be arranged on request, at your cost, for buyers who require it as a matter of policy.
Frequently asked questions
What buyers most often ask our sales desk about this grade.
01What is 1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene used for?+
02What is the CAS number of 1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene?+
03What purity grades does Chelora Chemicals supply?+
04Is 1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene hazardous?+
05Is this a liquid like your other chlorobenzene products?+
06Why doesn't this page cite a harmonised EU hazard classification the way your other chlorobenzene pages do?+
07Is this the same as 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene?+
08What packing options are available?+
09How long does delivery take?+
10Can I get a sample before placing a bulk order?+
11How is 1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene manufactured?+
12What is the shelf life, and how should it be stored?+
Need 1,2,3-Trichloro Benzene on spec, on time?
Send us your required purity, quantity, packing preference and destination port. Our desk quotes most enquiries within one working day.