2,6-Dichloroaniline
The sterically hindered dichloroaniline isomer, supplied by Chelora Chemicals as a pharmaceutical building block for diclofenac and clonidine chemistry — exported from Indonesia in technical and high-purity grades, with full batch documentation on every shipment.
What 2,6-Dichloroaniline 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.
2,6-Dichloroaniline carries a chlorine on both positions flanking the amino group. That single structural fact separates it from every other isomer in the family and decides its market. The two ortho chlorines crowd the nitrogen, twisting its lone pair out of conjugation with the ring, so the amine is markedly less basic and less nucleophilic than the 2,4-, 2,5- or 3,4- isomers and does not diazotize or acylate as readily.
Physically it is the awkward one of the family. The melting range of 36–39 °C straddles ordinary warm-room temperature, so the same lot can present as a white to cream crystalline powder, as a lump, as a solidified melt, or as a clear liquid depending on the season and the warehouse. Its density, 1.275 g/cm³ at 30 °C, is conspicuously lower than the 1.54–1.57 of the other isomers — a direct consequence of the twisted molecule packing less efficiently. It is slightly soluble in water at about 1.6 g/L, several times more than its siblings.
Where it fits in the synthesis chain
What looks like a liability in dye chemistry is exactly the asset in pharmaceutical synthesis. A hindered, twisted diarylamine is the desired motif in several drug scaffolds, and 2,6-dichloroaniline is the fragment that delivers it. It is the defining amine in diclofenac, where it is converted to 2,6-dichlorodiphenylamine and on to o-(2,6-dichloroanilino)phenylacetic acid; the bioactive conformation of the finished drug depends on the twist those two chlorines enforce. It also supplies the 2,6-dichlorophenyl group in clonidine.
Grades we supply
Chelora Chemicals offers 2,6-Dichloroaniline in technical grade (around 98% assay) and high-purity grade (99%+) for pharmaceutical intermediate manufacture, where trace isomer and metal content carry forward into regulated filings. Both grades ship with a batch-wise certificate of analysis. Buyers working to pharmacopoeial impurity profiles should tell our desk at the enquiry stage, since the documentation set differs.
How 2,6-Dichloroaniline 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.
Industrial 2,6-dichloroaniline is produced by reducing 2,6-dichloronitrobenzene, normally by catalytic hydrogenation over a supported metal catalyst. As with the other isomers, the balance to strike is between complete nitro reduction and hydrodechlorination — but here the two ortho chlorines are the entire commercial point of the molecule, so losing one does not merely dilute the product, it produces a 2-chloroaniline impurity with completely different chemistry.
A laboratory alternative runs through halogenation of sulfanilamide followed by desulfonation. It is documented but not a bulk route; the economics belong to the nitro reduction.
After reduction the crude amine is washed and purified by vacuum distillation or recrystallisation. The low melting point makes the final isolation step distinctive: the product is often cut and handled warm, and packing decisions — flake, drum or molten — are made against the destination climate rather than a single house standard.
Why the hindered pattern has to be built upstream
The 2,6- substitution pattern comes from the nitration of 1,3-dichlorobenzene and the separation of the resulting nitro isomers, not from any rearrangement later in the chain. Once the amine is formed the positions are fixed. This is why 2,6-dichloroaniline is sourced from its own manufacturing stream and why its price does not track the other isomers.
Industries and processes that use it
2,6-Dichloroaniline is consumed almost entirely as a synthesis intermediate. The four fields below account for most of the demand we see through our export desk.
Pharmaceuticals — Diclofenac
The defining amine fragment of diclofenac, converted to 2,6-dichlorodiphenylamine and on to o-(2,6-dichloroanilino)phenylacetic acid.
Pharmaceuticals — Clonidine
Supplies the 2,6-dichlorophenyl group of the antihypertensive clonidine and related imidazoline chemistry.
Fine Chemicals
A building block for antibacterial agents and other actives that need a hindered, twisted diarylamine motif.
Agrochemicals & Dyes
Used in agrochemical and dye intermediate synthesis where the 2,6-dichlorophenyl group is specified.
How the molecule is typically carried forward
The chemistry of this isomer is defined by what it resists. Both positions beside the amine are blocked, so the reactions that dominate the other dichloroanilines are slower here, and the routes that matter are the ones that exploit the hindrance rather than fight it.
Diarylamine Formation
Condensation with an activated aryl halide builds the 2,6-dichlorodiphenylamine core — the step that leads to diclofenac. The ortho chlorines enforce the twist between the two rings that the finished drug's activity depends on.
Acylation
Reaction with an acid chloride or anhydride gives the anilide, but runs more slowly than with unhindered anilines and typically needs more forcing conditions or a more reactive acylating agent.
Imidazoline Condensation
Conversion through the isothiocyanate or equivalent to the 2-arylaminoimidazoline, the scaffold of clonidine.
Diazotization
Possible but noticeably harder than for the unhindered isomers, as the twisted nitrogen is less available; this is why 2,6-DCA is not a mainstream azo dye component.
2,6-Dichloroaniline against its near relatives
The six dichloroaniline isomers share a formula but not a market. 2,6- is the outlier: the only one with both ortho positions blocked, and the only one whose principal outlet is pharmaceutical rather than agrochemical or dye.
| Product | CAS Number | Typically Used In | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,4-Dichloroaniline | 554-00-7 | Crop protection, azo dyes, pharmaceutical intermediates | Regularly stocked — see its product page for a full specification. |
| 2,5-Dichloroaniline | 95-82-9 | Dicamba-chain phenol, pyrazolone pigments | Diazotizes cleanly; a dye and herbicide-chain isomer. |
| 2,6-Dichloroaniline | 608-31-1 | Pharmaceutical synthesis (diclofenac, clonidine) | The isomer on this page — sterically hindered. |
| 3,4-Dichloroaniline | 95-76-1 | Phenylurea and anilide herbicides, disperse dyes | The highest-volume isomer of the family. |
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.
Toxic if swallowed.
Toxic in contact with skin.
Toxic if inhaled.
May cause an allergic skin reaction.
May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.
Very toxic to aquatic life.
Very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.
Danger — GHS06 toxic, GHS08 health hazard and GHS09 environment pictograms apply.
There is no harmonised Annex VI entry for this substance, so the above reflects the notified consensus classification as Acute Toxicity Category 3. Note that some suppliers classify the acute endpoints one category more severely, at Category 2 (fatal rather than toxic); always work from the safety data sheet issued with your own batch rather than a generic profile. Handle with chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection and adequate ventilation, and keep it out of drains and waterways.
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 in a dry, well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight in tightly closed original packaging, away from oxidizers and strong acids. The melting range of 36–39 °C means this product will not stay solid in an uncooled tropical warehouse — expect it to arrive or become a solidified melt, a supercooled melt, or a clear liquid, and plan goods-in handling accordingly. Melting and resolidification does not damage the material, but repeated cycling will darken it and makes sampling for assay unrepresentative unless the drum is homogenised first.
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 2,6-Dichloroaniline 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 2,6-Dichloroaniline used for?+
02What is the CAS number of 2,6-Dichloroaniline?+
03What purity grades does Chelora Chemicals supply?+
04Is 2,6-Dichloroaniline hazardous?+
05Why does this isomer behave so differently from 2,4- or 3,4-?+
06My drum arrived as a liquid. Is it off specification?+
07What packing options are available?+
08How long does delivery take?+
09Can I get a sample before placing a bulk order?+
10How is 2,6-Dichloroaniline manufactured?+
11What is the shelf life, and how should it be stored?+
Need 2,6-Dichloroaniline on spec, on time?
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