Long before 2-N-Butylamine appeared in specialty catalogs, folks in the chemical world spotted straight-chain alkyl amines for their sharp odors and eager reactions. Early chemical digests from the late 19th century mention butylamine isomers, but not until reliable distillation and improved separation methods did N-butylamine stand out. In old journals, researchers often lumped the butylamine family together. Over time, with better synthesis and analytical techniques, the N-form—fairly light, volatile, and water-friendly—earned its place. I remember in graduate school, digging through tattered textbooks, reading about how amines puzzled color chemists and found use in dyes and rubber processing before the real push for standardization came from the big push for pharmaceuticals. Eventually more industries joined in, attracted not just by the molecule’s amino punch but also by its reactivity.
2-N-Butylamine shows up in labs and factories in clear, somewhat oily bottles. It’s not a household name but has friends in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, plastics, and flavor chemistry. Whether it’s forming the backbone of antihypertensive drugs or serving as an intermediate in pesticides, the molecule makes itself useful. In the real world, the product’s not judged just on purity but also on how reproducibly it gets the job done. Reliable supply matters when industries depend on consistency batch to batch. Producers encourage chemists to check the amine’s lot number and supplier’s data, which I’ve learned sometimes hides surprises with trace impurities or slight shifts in boiling point—these tiny differences can trip up a whole production line or a sensitive catalytic reaction.
This amine boils at about 78-80°C. Typical samples smell distinctly “fishy”—the same trait that pushed so many to fume hoods on my first contact with it. The molecule weighs in at 73.14 g/mol, carries a basic nitrogen, and dissolves easily in water and common organic solvents. Its pKa of about 10.7 translates to pretty brisk basicity among aliphatic amines. Its colorless nature means no easy way to “eyeball” a spill; detection relies on nose or better, proper sensors. The vapor hugs low to the ground, ready to ignite around open flames or sparks, with a flash point below room temperature. The physical chemistry calls for real care in storage and handling—something anyone who’s knocked over a bottle can tell you.
Labeling standards for 2-N-Butylamine follow GHS and local regulations. Bottles must show the CAS number (109-73-9), concentration, and hazard warnings. Purity often runs over 99%, but technical and reagent grades exist for less demanding jobs. Major suppliers document water content, heavy metals, and identification spectra like FTIR or NMR—nothing worse than opening a shipment to find you’ve received a byproduct-rich soup when a clean amine is needed. I’ve seen quality checks flag shipments because of old, yellowed seals or missing batch traceability numbers. In regions with strict chemical tracking, barcode traceability gets added, helping spot diversion risk or tampering.
Today’s producers mainly rely on amination of 1-butanol or butyl halides with ammonia—straightforward, but demanding catalyst systems for best yields. Gas-phase or liquid-phase methods both see use. Years ago, small labs would try reductive amination of butyraldehyde, but scaling up brought corrosion and byproduct headaches. Some chemists favor catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobutane derivatives—cheaper, but with its own problems. Depending on end-use, post-synthesis steps can scrub impurities (water washes, distillation, or even crystallization of an amine salt before liberation).
2-N-Butylamine jumps into reactions with acids to make salts, forms amides with acyl chlorides, and creates Schiff bases with aldehydes and ketones. It can work as a nucleophile in alkylation and acylation or just serve as a basic catalyst. My first chemical synthesis class had us make a butylammonium benzoate salt—easy, fast, and taught us to avoid exposure to fumes. The primary amine group means rich chemistry with the risk of N-alkylation leading to secondary and tertiary amines or even quaternization, opening doors for interesting surfactant chemistry.
Chemists and manufacturers might call this product sec-butylamine, 2-aminobutane, or even NBA in shorthand. The confusion in literature sometimes arises from the “sec” prefix, so I always double-check structures or CAS numbers, especially from older papers or suppliers using legacy names. Industrial procurement databases sometimes list international language variants—languages shift, but the underlying commerce doesn’t.
2-N-Butylamine deserves serious attention for safety. The vapor irritates eyes and respiratory tracts, and skin contact leads to redness or chemical burns. OSHA and European agencies both post strict threshold exposure levels, because just a few ppm cause discomfort. Personal experience in the lab reinforces respect: open bottles only in vented spaces, always wear gloves, and keep spill kits close. Storing near oxidizers or acids raises risks—fire teams label these stocks with extra caution. Good facilities build clear guidance for spill containment, use chemical fume hoods, and train all handlers for first aid responses to exposure.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers grab up bulk N-butylamine for ACE inhibitor drugs such as perindopril and trandolapril. Crop scientists and agrochemical makers turn it into pesticide precursors and plant growth regulators. In plastics, butylamine serves as a building block for resins, surfactants, and even rubber vulcanization accelerators. The food and flavor world occasionally uses derivatives for “nutty” or malty notes in artificial flavors—usually highly diluted for safety. My old industrial internship gave me a front-row seat to formula tweaks based on amine source quality or changing supplier specifications; it’s rarely “one-size-fits-all” in the field.
R&D looks at new catalytic approaches to make cleaner, greener butylamine products. There’s interest in biocatalytic or enzymatic routes—aiming to ditch corrosive reagents and moderate process temperatures. Teams target process intensification: how to make more butylamine, faster, with fewer byproducts. Side efforts study new derivatives for pharmaceuticals, seeking molecules with a butylamine motif for better drug absorption or metabolic stability. Analytical chemists also search for better detection and quantification methods, especially in biological samples or process streams, to reduce time and costs.
Toxicologists learned early to respect low molecular weight amines, and 2-N-Butylamine joined that list. Laboratory animals exposed to the vapor show respiratory distress, sometimes liver or kidney changes at high doses. Exposure guidelines reflect a low threshold for safe air concentration—chronic or high-level contact can prompt headaches, dizziness, chemical burns, or lung irritation. After a near-miss in a student lab, I never forgot the burning sensation in my nose: prompt attention to engineering controls beats reliance on warning signs and nose test. Regulatory bodies require clear hazard communication, and ongoing studies probe for long-term effects in exposed workers and communities near manufacturing plants.
Growth in pharmaceutical and agrochemical demand will keep 2-N-Butylamine production humming. Where regions toughen chemical safety regulations, expect smarter handling strategies and more automation. Green chemistry may shake up preparation methods, favoring routes with lower waste, less energy, and better atom economy. Researchers compete to discover new drugs or polymer building blocks using butylamine as a starting point. Markets in Asia-Pacific and Latin America will likely drive consumption, as their chemical and medical industries expand. Watch future innovation spring from better automation in reaction handling, analytical detection, and real-time air monitoring to reduce exposure risks—a better world for both chemists and the communities around them.
People rarely talk about 2-N-Butylamine outside of labs or chemical plants, yet this colorless liquid matters in far more places than most folks realize. It smells strong, almost fishy, and you don’t want to splash it anywhere near your skin or eyes. Still, beneath its industrial edge, it powers major processes in industries that touch daily life.
Manufacturers have leaned on 2-N-Butylamine for years mainly because it makes things happen chemically. It reacts fast, so it’s trusty in building blocks for products from pesticides to medicines. The biggest calling card involves synthesizing active ingredients for herbicides and fungicides. Farmers depend on healthy crops, and crop protection products built on chemical backbones like 2-N-Butylamine help keep yields stable, especially when weather brings fungus or stubborn weeds.
That’s just farming, though. I’ve seen pharma techs reach for it to assemble molecules for antihistamines and other medicines. In medicine, the smallest impurity can spoil a batch, and stable building blocks make a world of difference. I remember an old chemist who used to say, “You need clean, reliable parts to build good pills.” It stuck with me, and 2-N-Butylamine fits that bill for certain drugs and their intermediates.
Something folks might not expect: the rubber industry makes use of it for processing accelerators. If you drive or ride a bike, the tires got there thanks in part to chemicals like 2-N-Butylamine, which help rubber cure the way it should. Without those additives, vehicle tires wouldn’t last nearly as long.
It’s not limited to rubbers or drugs. Factories blend it into making lube oil additives, corrosion inhibitors, and even dyes. Industrial fluids face some tough conditions. To keep machines running, businesses trust chemicals that give lubricants more staying power and allow metal tanks and engines to resist rust. Small changes at the molecular level add up to longer equipment lifespans, which helps companies keep costs down.
There’s a healthy respect for safety where this compound shows up. Workers can’t overlook the risks. It burns badly on contact, fumes aren’t friendly, and spills cause headaches – sometimes literally. Protective gear isn’t optional, and good ventilation is a must. From my time around chemical plants, I’ve learned colleagues don’t cut corners because shortcuts get noticed fast when something goes wrong. Regulatory agencies watch closely, pushing companies to keep procedures sharp and workers safe.
Waste and run-off create another layer of worry. In regions with weak infrastructure, disposal slips through cracks. Communities living near those plants deserve clean air and water. Stronger oversight and firm rules around storage, transport, and destruction of such chemicals help, but real change happens when companies invest in safer alternatives or cleaner production lines. There’s no quick fix. Switching studied formulations means costs—and people will debate how to balance safety and business needs for years.
Science keeps turning up new ideas. Green chemistry focuses on using fewer hazardous materials and leaving less waste at the end. Lab teams experiment with alternative ingredients or cleaner synthesis steps. These efforts take money, patience, and a willingness to accept some failure. What’s promising: When better ways show up, word gets around, and big players in agriculture and pharma weigh the risks and rewards of change.
People mostly overlook compounds like 2-N-Butylamine, but behind closed doors, it shapes core industries. Smarter rules, new chemistry, and real investment can push risk down and keep the benefits flowing where they matter most. I’ve met enough scientists and safety officers to know they work quietly but fiercely to do exactly that.
Anyone who’s worked in a chemistry lab or a warehouse dealing with raw chemicals knows that 2-N-Butylamine isn’t the stuff you casually leave out on the bench. Just lifting the cap, that whiff tells you enough—sharp, fishy, gnawing at your senses. Breathing that in can trigger headaches, nausea, irritation. Even the skin prickles if a drop lands on you. Chemical burns and rapid absorption through skin aren’t just textbook warnings—they’re real risks. People I’ve worked with have learned through red rashes and emergency rinses that it doesn’t forgive sloppy habits.
It’s not just an irritant. Overexposure may trigger breathing troubles, chest tightness, or at higher doses, even affect the organs. While it’s not as famous as some big-name toxins, this doesn’t mean safety can take a backseat.
Goggles and gloves sit at the front line of defense. Splash-proof eyewear blocks stray droplets or vapors drifting up. Latex or nitrile gloves, tucked under sleeves, put a barrier between the skin and chemicals. A decent lab coat or apron, buttoned up and clean, prevents soaks or splatters from soaking through your clothes. When a friend skimped on gloves once, trying to hurry, they ended up with burning fingers and a trip to the safety shower—not a fun way to learn.
Think about ventilation. Fume hoods aren’t just for looks—those fans suck vapors away, protecting lungs and throats. Never mix, heat, or transfer 2-N-Butylamine without that steady flow of air overhead. Relying on open windows or a regular room fan just drifts vapors into everybody’s breathing zone. Portable fans don’t cut it—use a hood or don’t do it inside.
Stash 2-N-Butylamine in tightly sealed, clear-labeled bottles. Most labs keep it off the floor, down low, cool, and away from acids and oxidizers. Labels with dates and hazard symbols help everyone spot the danger at a glance. It’s tempting to reach for a random container when you’re rushing, but mixing up bottles leads to accidents, sometimes with violent reactions.
Never use makeshift tools. Graduated glass cylinders beat coffee mugs or cheap plastic. Get familiar with spill kits—absorbent pads, neutralizers, bags that actually contain fumes. Once during a rushed clean-up, a colleague tried newspaper. It soaked through fast and the smell hung around for days, reminding us the right absorbent material goes a long way.
You can never predict every spill, but having an eyewash station and shower somewhere close pays off. I once needed an eyewash after a rogue splash—panic lasted only seconds, but water right at arm’s reach made all the difference. Who wants their luck to run out in a crisis?
Have emergency numbers posted. Know where the exits are, and keep escape routes clear. A small splash may not seem like fire material, but with the right mix of chemicals it can ignite. Fire extinguishers for chemical use need to be checked, not buried under boxes. Letting a situation escalate because “it probably won’t happen” costs more than a minute spent planning.
2-N-Butylamine doesn’t forgive shortcuts. Respect means wearing proper gear, labeling, using real ventilation, and training everyone on what to do. Small habits—like removing gloves before leaving the workspace, wiping down surfaces, or double-checking containers—make the big difference daily. Good habits might not feel heroic, but they’re how you make sure everyone goes home safe at the end of the day.
Chemical formulas shape how we talk about molecules. Ask any scientist, teacher, or anyone who’s wrestled through organic chemistry, and they’ll tell you: n-butylamine can cause more confusion than you’d think, depending on how it’s written. The formula for 2-N-Butylamine is C4H11N. This simple set of letters and numbers represents a chain of four carbon atoms, loaded with hydrogen atoms, and finished off with an amine group. The number "2" just points to the position of the amino group on the butane chain—a detail that easily slips past people new to organic nomenclature.
If you slice apart the word, "n-butyl" means a straight four-carbon chain, and "amine" brings in the NH₂ group. Put together, you get C4H11N, a clear snapshot of its structure. Every chemist who handles this compound, from pharmaceuticals to plastics labs, relies on that formula to communicate and ensure safety or efficiency. I've seen someone order the wrong isomer, only to wind up with a substance that didn’t behave the way they expected. Those missteps cost time and money.
Another thing lab folks always keep in their back pocket is the molecular weight. For 2-N-Butylamine, it’s 73.14 g/mol. At first glance, that feels like a pointless decimal, but scratch the surface and real consequences emerge. Dosing for a reaction, setting up a scale-up, or just figuring out if the chemical fits your safety protocols—all of that leans on knowing the right molecular weight.
It's important in drug discovery, too. Way back in school, I learned that bioavailability and metabolism hinge on the size of a molecule. A small amine like this one can get into places others can't. If a researcher misses that precise number, the experiment may flop, doses might go wrong, or someone gets an exposure they weren’t prepared for.
Chemistry isn’t just glassware and pretty crystals. It's daily decisions about safety, waste, and cost. Take an accidental swap—mix up n-butylamine and its branched cousin, and the result can swing from a harmless mistake to a dangerous situation. More than once, I’ve seen new students hesitate with old bottles because the faded label could mean any number of butylamines, and that’s not something you guess at in a lab.
Some mistakes start with poor labeling or rushed teaching. A cluttered shelf of chemicals, no clear handwriting, and rookie employees rushing through orders—this is how incidents start. Schools and workplaces could put more effort into labeling protocols and real practice with chemical nomenclature. Toss in a clear digital record alongside hand-written labels, and the trail stays safe.
Pulling everyone through a refresher once a year could save headaches. Point out the cases from the past where a small mix-up led to fire marshals or a ruined batch, and those lessons stick. Tools like chemical inventory systems or even simple checklists slow folks down just enough to avoid errors.
2-N-Butylamine’s formula, C4H11N, and its molecular weight, 73.14 g/mol, pop up over and over in any setting where chemicals get used. Forgetting these small details or skipping over them creates risk. When folks know the right numbers and where they come from, the workday rolls on with fewer surprises and safer outcomes.
2-N-Butylamine is not something you shove on a random shelf and forget about. I’ve worked with chemical storerooms that made me uneasy—the smell alone told you corners got cut. This particular amine deserves careful attention. Both the chemical itself and what happens if it leaks create headaches for facilities and health. It releases toxic fumes and can mess with your lungs, skin, or eyes if you get close, so treating storage like an afterthought invites trouble.
Cramming drums and bottles together in a stuffy closet is asking for disaster. I once toured a university storeroom where everything felt sticky. Some stacks near the back gave off a faint, odd odor—all it took was a door left open without proper air movement. Put 2-N-Butylamine somewhere with constant, reliable ventilation. Chemical fumes build up fast if air doesn’t move, and even small leaks make a space useless until properly cleaned up. Proper ventilation means fewer risks for workers and fewer headaches for safety teams.
Warm and humid storerooms create a perfect storm for accidents. I’ve seen labels peel and containers swell because summer heat crept in. If 2-N-Butylamine gets hot, pressure builds up inside its container, and you hear the pop of a bulging seal somewhere in the dark. That’s not just annoying—it’s dangerous. Keep it cool, out of direct sunlight, away from heaters, and shielded from rain or moisture. Moisture triggers chemical reactions and even slight contamination gives you less control over safety.
A proper container matters more than most folks realize. Store it in high-quality, tightly sealed containers—generally glass or certain plastics that resist reactive chemicals. Metal can be iffy, especially with cheaper paints or seals. Always label every container, even temporary ones. More than once, I’ve seen someone pouring from an old, faded bottle, only to realize it held something totally different. Honest labels save lives, plain and simple.
Don’t let this chemical mingle freely with acids or oxidizing agents. If it contacts the wrong shelf buddy, you could end up with a fire or toxic cloud. A friend who works in industrial safety shared a story of a warehouse assistant placing various amines next to bleach-containing cleaners. That shelf spent a week in cleanup after a minor spill turned into an emergency. Every chemical needs its own clear space. Sturdy shelving, trays underneath to catch leaks, and a well-marked storage zone reduce accidents before they start.
Training goes beyond reading a dusty binder. People should know what to grab and what to avoid if something goes wrong. Using gloves, goggles, and aprons shouldn’t be an afterthought. My own misstep grabbing an unlabeled bottle years ago left a mark I won’t forget. Spills used to spark panic, now standard practice means clarity: emergency showers and fire extinguishers stand nearby, ready for action. Security keeps out those who don’t belong, with access limited to trained workers.
Every time I’m near chemicals like 2-N-Butylamine, I remember stories where small missteps led to big problems—skin contact burns, inhaled fumes knocking out whole labs for a day, or environmental controls triggering alarms. Proper storage keeps these stories rare. Do it right, and you safeguard everyone in the building.
2-N-Butylamine smells like ammonia and finds its way into all sorts of industries—from pharmaceuticals to making rubber. I’ve worked around places that handled chemicals like this and saw first-hand how basic care could slip when you’re up against production deadlines. It’s easy to brush off another clear liquid as just another supply on the shelf. Hidden dangers lurk in that attitude, especially with amines.
Splashing this stuff on your skin burns fast. It’s not just a little tingle, it’s strong enough to cause serious irritation and, if left too long, tissue damage. Eyes exposed to 2-N-Butylamine can wind up with redness, pain, or even permanent vision problems. I remember one coworker rubbing his eye after a glove adjustment—he spent the day in the ER, no heroics, just a moment’s lapse. All it takes is a single mistake.
Breathing the vapors sets off coughs, chest pain, and even breathing troubles. Since it smells strong, you might think that’s warning enough, but sometimes you only notice once irritation already starts. Prolonged inhalation can bring on headaches or dizziness, and repeated exposure might make asthma or allergies much worse. Smaller shops lack top-tier ventilation, making this risk a real daily concern.
Direct exposure isn’t the only problem. I’ve dealt with folks who developed terrible skin rashes after working with amines—sometimes after just a week or so of not wearing protective sleeves or swapping out gloves as soon as a leak started. Constant contact with even small amounts piles up. This builds a hidden threat, especially if safety briefings get skipped or ignored, as often happens in busy labs or warehouses.
Accidental ingestion—say, from eating with unwashed hands—leads to burning in the throat and stomach, nausea, vomiting, and other digestive issues. Not common, but still possible in any setting where eating near the worksite sneaks by regulation. Those lunchbreak corners can turn hazardous fast when the wrong habits set in.
Most stories about chemical safety focus on regulations, but reality plays out between policy and practice. Proper gloves, goggles, and lab coats aren’t optional extras. I’ve seen workplaces cut corners here to save costs. For this sort of chemical, even small savings can stack up against health. Training needs to be more than a binder on the shelf. People respond to stories, not just lists of rules or dry presentations. Bringing in someone who’s lived through exposure raises real awareness.
Ventilation tops every checklist, but in older buildings those systems run below spec. Open windows and fans don’t cut it for fumes like these. You want proper chemical exhaust systems, and workers need ways to speak up when things break down or supplies run out. Repairs should happen right away—not next week or sometime after quarterly reports.
Emergency showers, eye-wash stations, clear signage—these save seconds when trouble strikes. I’ve walked through setups with broken eyewash bottles and showers stuck off. Every missing backup increases the cost of one wrong move.
Workplaces have to treat 2-N-Butylamine with respect. Regular training, health check-ups, spot checks, and speaking openly about accidents—even the close calls—build a culture where everyone knows what’s at stake. Quick reporting, better tracking of incidents, and an honest review of near-misses all help. Protecting workers isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about giving people a fair shot at staying healthy on the job.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | butan-2-amine |
| Other names |
1-Butanamine Butan-1-amine Butylamine n-Butanamine n-Butylamine |
| Pronunciation | /tuː ɛn ˈbjuːtɪl.əˌmiːn/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 111-92-2 |
| Beilstein Reference | 1718736 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:41727 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL13403 |
| ChemSpider | 5069 |
| DrugBank | DB14106 |
| ECHA InfoCard | ECHA InfoCard: 100.003.882 |
| EC Number | 202-696-3 |
| Gmelin Reference | 3273 |
| KEGG | C01780 |
| MeSH | D014756 |
| PubChem CID | 8036 |
| RTECS number | EB8425000 |
| UNII | 27083P26RU |
| UN number | 1114 |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C4H11N |
| Molar mass | 73.14 g/mol |
| Appearance | Colorless liquid |
| Odor | Ammonia-like |
| Density | 0.74 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.) |
| Solubility in water | Miscible |
| log P | 0.99 |
| Vapor pressure | 2.5 kPa (at 20 °C) |
| Acidity (pKa) | 10.7 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 3.34 |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.397 |
| Viscosity | 0.44 mPa·s (25 °C) |
| Dipole moment | 4.476 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 311.1 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -45.2 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -4482 kJ/mol |
| Pharmacology | |
| ATC code | NO ATC |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling | GHS02, GHS05, GHS07 |
| Pictograms | GHS02,GHS07 |
| Signal word | Danger |
| Hazard statements | H226, H302, H312, H314, H332 |
| Precautionary statements | P210, P261, P264, P271, P280, P301+P312, P303+P361+P353, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P311, P312, P330, P337+P313, P405, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 3-3-0 |
| Autoignition temperature | 205 °C |
| Explosive limits | 1.7–10.8% |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 oral rat 366 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose): 366 mg/kg (oral, rat) |
| NIOSH | **NA0267** |
| PEL (Permissible) | PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) of 2-N-Butylamine: 5 ppm (15 mg/m³) |
| REL (Recommended) | 35 mg/m3 |
| IDLH (Immediate danger) | 300 ppm |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
n-Butanol n-Butyl chloride n-Butyl bromide n-Butyl iodide n-Butyl isocyanide n-Butyl acetate |
