Names | |
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IUPAC name
(2,4-Dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid
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Other names
2,4-D
hedonal trinoxol |
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Identifiers | |
3D model (Jmol)
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ChEBI | |
ChemSpider | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.002.147 |
KEGG | |
PubChem CID
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UNII | |
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Properties | |
C8H6Cl2O3 | |
Molar mass | 221.04 g/mol |
Appearance | white to yellow powder |
Melting point | 140.5 °C (284.9 °F; 413.6 K) |
Boiling point | 160 °C (320 °F; 433 K) 0.4 mm Hg |
900 mg/L | |
Hazards | |
Flash point | nonflammable |
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50 (median dose)
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500 mg/kg (oral, hamster) 100 mg/kg (oral, dog) |
US health exposure limits (NIOSH): | |
PEL (Permissible)
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TWA 10 mg/m3 |
REL (Recommended)
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TWA 10 mg/m3 |
IDLH (Immediate danger)
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100 mg/m3 |
Related compounds | |
Related compounds
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2,4,5-T, Dichlorprop |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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what is ?) | (|
Infobox references | |
100 mg/kg (oral, dog)
347 mg/kg (oral, mouse)
699 mg/kg (oral, rat)
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (usually called 2,4-D) is an organic compound with the chemical formula C8H6Cl2O3. It is a systemic herbicide which selectively kills most broadleaf weeds by causing uncontrolled growth in them, but leaves most grasses such as cereals, lawn turf, and grassland relatively unaffected.
2,4-D is one of the oldest and most widely available herbicides in the world, having been commercially available since 1945, and is now produced by many chemical companies since the patent on it has long since expired. It can be found in numerous commercial lawn herbicide mixtures, and is widely used as a weedkiller on cereal crops, pastures, and orchards. Over 1,500 herbicide products contain 2,4-D as an active ingredient.
2,4-D is a possible carcinogen per WHO. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization said 2,4-D was classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), based on inadequate evidence in humans and limited evidence in experimental animals".
Some ester forms are highly toxic to fish and other aquatic life.
2,4-D was one of the ingredients in Agent Orange, a herbicide widely used during the Vietnam War. However, another ingredient in Agent Orange, 2,4,5-T (since banned in the United States), and its contaminant dioxin, were the cause of the adverse health effects associated with Agent Orange.
2,4-D is primarily used as a selective herbicide which kills many terrestrial and aquatic broadleaf weeds, but not grasses. It acts by mimicking the action of the plant growth hormone auxin, which results in uncontrolled growth and eventually death in susceptible plants. Because it was discovered in the 1940s, there is no longer a patent governing the manufacture and sale of 2,4-D, and any company is free to produce it. Thus, it is sold in various formulations under a wide variety of brand names. 2,4-D can be found in commercial lawn herbicide mixtures, which often contain other active ingredients including mecoprop and dicamba. Over 1,500 herbicide products contain 2,4-D as an active ingredient.