Permethrin
Also called Elimite and Nix.
The insecticide in household bug sprays, in factory-treated outdoor clothing, and in the cream used to clear scabies and head lice.
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
Permethrin on our curated lists.
Household
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.
A C=O joined through an oxygen to another carbon, the link an acid and an alcohol make when they combine. Water can split it back into the two.
From: standard chemistry.
An oxygen bridging two carbons, written C-O-C. It accepts hydrogen bonds but has no hydrogen to give, and it is slow to react.
From: standard chemistry.
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
- C21H20Cl2O3
- Molecular weight
- 391.3 g/mol
- XLogP3octanol/water, log units
- 6.5
- Polar surface areatopological
- 35.5 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 0
- H-bond acceptors
- 3
- Rotatable bonds
- 7
- Complexity
- 521
Measured LD50, HSDB via PubChem
600 mg/kg pure permethrin, rat, oral
An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person.
Reported Hazard label (GHS), ECHA, EU CLP Regulation via PubChem
Warning Irritant pictogram (GHS07) and Environmental pictogram (GHS09); hazard statements H302, H317, H332, H400, H410
Groups it belongs to
- Category
- Everyday chemistry
- Family
- Esters
- Chemical groups
- Aromatics, Esters, Ethers, Halogenated
- Product lists
- Garden and pest control
- Elements
- Chlorine
- Hazard classes
- Irritant, Environmental hazard, GHS Warning
CC1(C(C1C(=O)OCC2=CC(=CC=C2)OC3=CC=CC=C3)C=C(Cl)Cl)CPubChem CID 40326 · Wikidata Q411635 · InChIKey RLLPVAHGXHCWKJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N · Data refreshed
Questions
- What is Permethrin?
- The insecticide in household bug sprays, in factory-treated outdoor clothing, and in the cream used to clear scabies and head lice.
- Where is Permethrin found?
- Permethrin is in these product groups: garden and pest control. from source
- How toxic is Permethrin?
- The reported LD50 of Permethrin is 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 Environmental. from sourcefrom source
- What kind of molecule is Permethrin?
- Permethrin has the formula C21H20Cl2O3 and a molecular weight of 391.3 g/mol. MoleculeFinder files it under esters, in the everyday chemistry group. from sourcefrom sourcefrom sourcefrom source
- What else is Permethrin called?
- Permethrin is also called Elimite and Nix. 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 PubChemOther values the sources report: rat, oral, 1,300 mg/kg; rat, oral, 1,500 mg/kg. The page shows the one LD50 the site uses everywhere.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, EU CLP Regulation 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.
- Data refreshedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder2026-11-09