Isopropyl Alcohol
The secondary aliphatic alcohol solvent supplied by Chelora Chemicals — known in the trade as IPA, the fast-evaporating, low-residue solvent behind electronics cleaning, pharmaceutical and personal-care formulation — exported from Indonesia in drums and ISO tanks with full batch documentation on every shipment.
What Isopropyl Alcohol is, and why buyers source it
A working overview of the compound's chemistry, its role as a secondary aliphatic alcohol, and the grades Chelora Chemicals keeps in regular supply.
Isopropyl Alcohol is a secondary alcohol, with the hydroxyl group attached to the middle carbon of a three-carbon chain. That secondary placement makes it oxidise readily to acetone and esterify or dehydrate under standard conditions, while its fully miscible, fast-evaporating, low-residue nature makes it one of the most widely used cleaning and formulation solvents in industry.
At room temperature it is a colourless, highly flammable, volatile liquid with a mild alcoholic odour, fully miscible with water and most organic solvents. It is commonly diluted with water to specific concentrations (such as 70% or 99%) for cleaning and disinfection applications, and requires standard flammable-liquid storage with good ventilation and ignition-source control.
Where it fits in the synthesis chain
Isopropyl Alcohol's largest use is as a solvent and cleaning agent across electronics manufacturing, pharmaceutical processing, personal-care formulation and general industrial cleaning, valued for leaving minimal residue. It is also oxidised to acetone (a secondary production route alongside the cumene process) and is a feedstock for isopropyl esters and other specialty solvent derivatives.
Grades we supply
Chelora Chemicals offers Isopropyl Alcohol in anhydrous grade (99.8%+ assay) and diluted grades (such as 70% aqueous) suitable for electronics cleaning, pharmaceutical processing and personal-care formulation, supplied with a batch-wise certificate of analysis.
How Isopropyl Alcohol 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.
Isopropyl Alcohol is manufactured by the catalytic hydration of propylene, either by direct hydration over a solid acid catalyst or by the older indirect (sulfuric-acid-ester) hydration route: CH₂=CHCH₃ + H₂O → (CH₃)₂CHOH. The crude product is purified by distillation to the required anhydrous or aqueous-diluted grade.
Why direct propylene hydration is the standard process
Direct catalytic hydration converts propylene and water into isopropyl alcohol in a single catalytic step without the sulfuric-acid handling and neutralisation steps the older indirect route required, which is why it has become the dominant commercial process at most modern plants.
Industries and processes that use it
Isopropyl Alcohol is consumed across electronics, pharmaceutical, personal-care and general industrial cleaning applications, where its fast evaporation and low residue are the main draw. The fields below account for most of the demand we see through our export desk.
Electronics & Precision Cleaning
Used to clean circuit boards, optical components and precision instruments, valued for evaporating quickly and leaving essentially no residue.
Pharmaceutical & Disinfectant Formulation
Diluted to specific concentrations (commonly 70%) for surface disinfection, hand sanitiser and pharmaceutical-process solvent applications.
Personal Care & Cosmetic Formulation
Used as a solvent and astringent in personal-care products such as toners, perfumes and nail-care formulations.
General Industrial Solvent & Degreaser
Used across paints, coatings, printing and general degreasing applications where fast evaporation is an advantage.
How the molecule is typically carried forward
The secondary hydroxyl group governs almost all of this molecule's further reaction chemistry. Reaction classes below account for most of the ways Isopropyl Alcohol is converted into a finished product or intermediate.
Catalytic Oxidation (to Acetone)
Oxidised over a metal catalyst to acetone, a secondary industrial route to that ketone alongside the cumene process.
Esterification
Reacts with carboxylic acids under acid catalysis to form isopropyl esters used in specialty solvent and plasticiser applications.
Dehydration
Can be dehydrated under acid catalysis to propylene, the reverse of its own manufacturing reaction, relevant in some specialty recycling contexts.
Catalytic Hydration (Upstream)
Propylene and water react over a solid acid catalyst to form isopropyl alcohol itself, the dominant industrial route in the whole chain.
Isopropyl Alcohol against other amines we supply
Buyers sourcing Isopropyl Alcohol for electronics, pharmaceutical or personal-care applications often need a related industrial solvent. A quick reference to what else is on our regular supply list.
| Product | CAS Number | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isopropyl Alcohol | 67-63-0 | Secondary aliphatic alcohol / solvent | The product on this page — the fast-evaporating, low-residue cleaning and formulation solvent. |
| Methanol | 67-56-1 | Simplest aliphatic alcohol | A related aliphatic alcohol, mainly used as a chemical feedstock — see its product page. |
| Methyl Ethyl Ketone | 78-93-3 | Ketone solvent | Another widely used industrial solvent in our range — see its product page. |
| Acetone | 67-64-1 | Ketone co-product & solvent | The ketone IPA oxidises to, and a related solvent — see its product page. |
Exact physical constants and purity specifications are confirmed per batch on the certificate of analysis — treat the notes above as a sourcing guide, not a specification sheet, for products other than Isopropyl Alcohol.
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.
Highly flammable liquid and vapour.
Causes serious eye irritation.
May cause drowsiness or dizziness.
Harmful if swallowed (large quantities).
Chemical-resistant gloves and splash goggles are recommended for routine handling; ensure adequate ventilation.
Keep away from heat, sparks and open flame; ground and bond containers during transfer given the low flash point.
High vapour concentrations in poorly ventilated areas can cause drowsiness or dizziness; ensure adequate ventilation.
Danger — GHS02 flammable and GHS07 irritant pictograms apply.
This compound is a highly flammable liquid that causes serious eye irritation and may cause drowsiness or dizziness at high vapour concentrations. While less acutely hazardous than many other materials in this range, it must still be handled with chemical-resistant gloves, splash-proof eye protection, adequate ventilation and strict control of ignition sources given its low flash point. Full first-aid, storage, spill and PPE guidance is in the MSDS issued with every shipment, and must be read in full and followed without exception before this material is handled.
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 cool, well-ventilated area below 30 °C, away from heat sources, sparks, open flame and strong oxidizing agents, in tightly closed original packaging given its high volatility and flammability. Standard solvent-handling PPE and good ventilation are sufficient for routine use. If a batch is held past its retest date, re-check assay and water content before use.
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 Isopropyl Alcohol leaves with a documented, checkable paper trail.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-wise assay (by titration/GC), colour and relevant physical constants, 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 of Isopropyl Alcohol 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 Isopropyl Alcohol used for?+
02What is the CAS number of Isopropyl Alcohol?+
03How is Isopropyl Alcohol made?+
04What grades does Chelora Chemicals supply?+
05Why is Isopropyl Alcohol diluted to specific concentrations?+
06Is Isopropyl Alcohol hazardous?+
07What packing options are available?+
08How long does delivery take?+
09Can I get a sample before placing a bulk order?+
10Do you supply Methanol and Methyl Ethyl Ketone as well?+
Need Isopropyl Alcohol on spec, on time?
Send us your required purity, quantity, packing preference and destination port. Our desk quotes most enquiries within one working day.