Diisobutyl Adipate represents a synthetic chemical most often recognized by its clear, oily liquid form at room temperature. It's engineered by esterifying adipic acid with isobutyl alcohol, an approach that delivers a molecule used across many fields. The material finds a home in flexible plastics, coatings, personal care products, and sometimes in lubricating oils. The molecular formula reads C14H26O4, while a closer look identifies its structure as two isobutyl groups attached via ester linkages to an adipic acid backbone, which provides much of its chemical character. The chemical’s structure enables good solubility in many organic solvents, but it rarely mixes with water, a trait often sought in plasticizers and certain cosmetic formulations. Its CAS number confirms its identity as 141-04-8 and the Harmonized System (HS) Code aligns it under 2917.39, which covers esters of adipic acid.
This chemical’s molecular weight stands at 258.36 g/mol, a value that gives clues to its vapor pressure, boiling point, and behavior in manufacturing temperatures. Diisobutyl Adipate melts near -37°C, not forming any crystals at standard outdoor temperatures. In most settings, it takes the form of a colorless to pale-yellow liquid, yet at much lower temperatures, it assumes a solid state, making processing in cold environments a challenge for workers and engineers. The density averages around 0.97 grams per cubic centimeter, so it floats slightly below water, but it remains easy to handle with standard industrial equipment. Those who have worked with this material know it doesn’t give off strong vapors under normal use, so inhalation hazards stay minimal unless the liquid gets heated beyond 150°C, where fumes begin to rise. Surface tension, viscosity, and refractive index matter for formulators in cosmetics or flexible plastics, and here, consistency in quality matters more than for some common bulk chemicals. The flash point remains around 168°C, far higher than gasoline or acetone, so fire risk drops during storage and transport. Diisobutyl Adipate resists light and mild acids, but can hydrolyze with strong alkaline conditions or under exposure to highly concentrated acids, breaking down into adipic acid and isobutyl alcohol.
Most factories deliver Diisobutyl Adipate in bulk liquid drums or intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). It pours easily, showing a silky texture, and its lower freezing point means that, even in cooler climates, the risk of solidification remains small. Large-scale users such as PVC producers and cosmetics manufacturers need the chemical in pure liquid, but in research settings, smaller amounts sometimes arrive as flakes or even in solid pearls, formed during transit or improper storage below its melting point. Anyone who’s stored it in a cold warehouse has found it turn viscous or sometimes separate slightly if impurities exist. Melting any solidified material requires a gentle heat—steam tracing along pipes or warming drums with heated air often works. Powder or crystal forms rarely surface in the open market, but lab synthesis can yield a crystalline solid for testing or specialized use. In terms of solutions, this chemical easily dissolves in other plasticizers, alcohols, esters, and many cosmetic oils, which simplifies blending for custom formulations. Some grades reach purities above 99.5%, labeled directly on shipping and regulatory documents, to ensure product safety and consistency.
In production facilities and labs, handling Diisobutyl Adipate rarely poses significant acute health risks. Regulatory reviews classify it as a low-hazard material, with test data showing minimal skin or eye irritation in standard conditions. Workers in plastics plants, paint shops, and even skincare labs have worn gloves and safety glasses more for good hygiene than out of urgent need. The material lacks the flammability of solvents like ethyl acetate or MEK, a fact that shifts risk assessments away from fire toward safe storage and spill controls. Chronic exposure, especially to vaporized breakdown products at high heat, ought to remain low due to the compound’s low volatility, though chemical safety data sheets (SDSs) remind users to ensure strong ventilation during processing. Regular audits reveal few major environmental threats under normal conditions since it breaks down to smaller alcohols and dicarboxylic acids with time, but spills into waterways can carry some concern due to potential aquatic toxicity if not remediated quickly. In most practical cases, any released chemical spreads slowly, and can be contained with absorbent pads, sand, or chemical booms. Disposal guidelines direct that leftovers go to authorized chemical processors, not down public drains, to ensure protection for groundwater and ecosystem health.
Making Diisobutyl Adipate draws on two key raw materials: adipic acid and isobutyl alcohol. Adipic acid, often made in large petrochemical facilities from cyclohexane, anchors the molecule, while isobutyl alcohol, typically a byproduct from oxo synthesis, brings flexibility to the finished ester. These inputs demand strict quality checks—sulfur, excess water, and trace metals in the raw feed can cause off-odors or discoloration in the final product. In the real world, I’ve seen how poor feedstock control yields yellow-tinged or cloudy batches, sometimes bringing production to a halt until the problem fixes. The most common applications include serving as a plasticizer in PVC and other plastics to keep them soft and manageable, as a solvent/intermediate in coatings and adhesives, and in personal care formulations where a lightweight, non-oily feel matters. Some sunscreen and lotion makers seek out Diisobutyl Adipate precisely for its ability to leave skin supple without greasiness. Markets for "green chemistry" products now focus more on how biodegradable and non-bioaccumulative this ester remains, as regulatory schemes in the EU and Asia tighten around legacy phthalate plasticizers. For contract manufacturers, the surest demand continues to rest in flexible plastics and high-end skincare—both rely on the physical and chemical traits of this molecule for daily products.
