Dichloromethane
CH2Cl284.93 g/mol Calculated
Also called Methylene chloride, Methylene dichloride, DCM and methylene bichloride.
Methylene chloride, the solvent in old paint strippers and the one that used to decaffeinate coffee. It boils at 40 Celsius, near body temperature.
Sources and notes
- The introductionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Other namesfrom sourceWikidataIts English label and aliases on Wikidata.
- Formula and weightcomputedPubChem
- 2D drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKit
- 3D modelfrom sourcePubChem 3D conformerLoaded after the page has painted, and on a phone only when you ask for it; the 2D drawing shows until it arrives.
Where you encounter it
Dichloromethane on our curated lists.
Household
Paint and solventAdded by the maker
Sources and notes
- Our curated lists and their amountsfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedEach amount is an editorial figure from our food and drink lists, not a measurement of any one product.
- How it gets therefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedEach mark is set by hand on our lists, never inferred; a label's ingredient is added by the maker. A row with no mark data says Not marked.
Explore its structure
Choose a part to light it up.
Fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine bonded to carbon. Each pulls electrons toward itself, and each is larger than the hydrogen the carbon would otherwise carry.
From: standard chemistry.
Sources and notes
- The drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKitThe page's one shipped drawing, with the chosen part lit in amber under it.
- The partscomputedFound by ruleEach part is found by a chemical pattern, never picked by hand atom by atom; its words say where they come from.
Properties and sources
Calculated by PubChem
- Molecular formula
- CH2Cl2
- Molecular weight
- 84.93 g/mol
- XLogP3octanol/water, log units
- 1.5
- Polar surface areatopological
- 0 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 0
- H-bond acceptors
- 0
- Rotatable bonds
- 0
- Complexity
- 2
Measured LD50, HSDB via PubChem
1,600 mg/kg pure dichloromethane, rat, oral
An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person.
Reported Hazard label (GHS), ECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia, HSDB via PubChem
Warning Irritant pictogram (GHS07) and Health hazard pictogram (GHS08); hazard statements H302, H315, H319, H335, H336, H341, H351, H373
Groups it belongs to
- Category
- Everyday chemistry
- Family
- Organohalogens
- Chemical groups
- Halogenated
- Product lists
- Paint and solvent
- Elements
- Chlorine
- Hazard classes
- Irritant, Health hazard, GHS Warning
- Size
- Under 100 g/mol
SMILES
C(Cl)ClPubChem CID 6344 · Wikidata Q421748 · InChIKey YMWUJEATGCHHMB-UHFFFAOYSA-N · Data refreshed
Questions
- What is Dichloromethane?
- Methylene chloride, the solvent in old paint strippers and the one that used to decaffeinate coffee. It boils at 40 Celsius, near body temperature.
- Where is Dichloromethane found?
- Dichloromethane is in these product groups: paint and solvent. from source
- How toxic is Dichloromethane?
- The reported LD50 of Dichloromethane is 1,600 mg/kg (rat, oral). An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person. Its GHS hazard label carries the signal word Warning and the hazard pictograms Irritant and Health hazard. from sourcefrom source
- What kind of molecule is Dichloromethane?
- Dichloromethane has the formula CH2Cl2 and a molecular weight of 84.93 g/mol. MoleculeFinder files it under organohalogens, in the everyday chemistry group. from sourcefrom sourcefrom sourcefrom source
- What else is Dichloromethane called?
- Dichloromethane is also called Methylene chloride, Methylene dichloride, DCM and methylene bichloride. from source
Sources and notes
- Calculated valuescomputedPubChemComputed from the structure, so no laboratory conditions apply; complexity is PubChem's own structural score.
- LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChem
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia, HSDB via PubChemThe label combines these classifications.
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- EU CLP Regulationfrom sourceAttributionSource: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, © European Union.
- Safe Work Australiafrom sourceAttributionSource: Safe Work Australia, Hazardous Chemical Information System, © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0.
- Data refreshedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder2026-11-09