Dioctyl Terephthalate CAS 6422-86-2
Chelora Chemicals supplies non-phthalate dioctyl terephthalate to flexible PVC, cable, flooring, toy and food contact producers worldwide. Every consignment leaves with a batch-specific COA covering purity, acid value, colour and volatility, the current SDS and full compliance documentation.
Also known as: DOTP · DEHT · Di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate · Bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate · Eastman 168 type
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Price, lead time and a sample COA for Dioctyl Terephthalate, usually within one working day. We ship worldwide.
Request a Quote Email the DeskDocumentation
- Batch-specific COA (purity, acid value, colour, volatility)
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
- Transport and export documents
- Third-party inspection on request
- Certificate of origin
What is Dioctyl Terephthalate?
Dioctyl terephthalate is the terephthalate analogue of DOP: the same alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, esterified with terephthalic acid instead of phthalic anhydride.
That single structural change — para instead of ortho substitution — removes the reproductive toxicity classification while leaving plasticising performance almost unchanged.
It has become the standard non-phthalate general purpose plasticiser, used in toys, food contact articles, medical devices, cable, flooring and general flexible PVC.
DOTP can also be made from recycled PET, which gives it a renewable or recycled content story that conventional plasticisers lack.
Why DOTP specifically
- Non-phthalate. Not classified as toxic for reproduction, and not covered by phthalate restrictions in toys, food contact or medical devices.
- Near drop-in for DOP. Similar molecular weight and plasticising efficiency, so reformulation is usually straightforward.
- Good electrical properties. Suitable for cable, with volume resistivity often better than DOP.
- Recycled PET route. Can be made from post-consumer PET, supporting recycled content claims.
How Dioctyl Terephthalate is Manufactured
DOTP is made by esterifying terephthalic acid or DMT with 2-ethylhexanol, including from recycled PET.
- Terephthalic acid feed. PTA, DMT or depolymerised recycled PET supplies the diacid.
- 2-Ethylhexanol feed. Excess alcohol drives the esterification to completion.
- Esterification. Reaction over a titanate catalyst at about 220 °C with continuous water removal.
- Recycled PET route. Post-consumer PET is glycolysed or transesterified directly with 2-EH to give DOTP.
- Alcohol stripping. Unreacted 2-EH is distilled off and recycled.
- Treatment and filtration. Neutralisation, washing, carbon or clay treatment and filtration deliver final colour and clarity.
Typical Commercial Specification
Figures below are representative of commercial DOTP. Food contact and medical grades carry additional documentation — tell us the application and we will send the matching sheet.
| Parameter | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear oily liquid, free of suspended matter |
| DOTP purity | 99.5% min by weight |
| Acid value | 0.07 mg KOH/g max |
| Colour (APHA) | 30 max |
| Water content | 0.1% max |
| Volatility (loss on heating) | To grade, typically 0.5% max |
| Density at 20 °C | 0.980 to 0.990 g/cm³ |
| Refractive index at 25 °C | 1.488 to 1.492 |
| Flash point | About 215 °C min |
| Volume resistivity | To grade, for cable applications |
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical formula | C₂₄H₃₈O₄ |
| Molecular weight | 390.56 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear colourless oily liquid, almost odourless |
| Boiling point | About 400 °C |
| Melting point | About −48 °C |
| Flash point | About 215 °C (closed cup) |
| Density | 0.984 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Viscosity | About 70 mPa·s at 20 °C |
| Vapour pressure | Very low, negligible at ambient |
| Solubility in water | Practically insoluble |
| Volume resistivity | Typically higher than DOP, favouring cable use |
| Incompatibilities | Strong oxidisers, strong acids and bases |
Behaviour in the process
DOTP behaves very much like DOP, with small differences worth knowing in processing:
- Slightly slower fusion. Gelation with PVC is marginally slower than DOP, which may need a small processing adjustment.
- Better electrical resistivity. Volume resistivity is typically higher than DOP, which cable compounders value.
- Similar permanence. Low volatility and migration comparable to DOP, so article service life is unchanged.
- Good low-temperature performance. Comparable to DOP, with adipate blending used where more cold flexibility is needed.
DOTP and Alternative Plasticisers
DOTP is the default non-phthalate general purpose plasticiser, and the comparison is mainly with what it replaced.
| Material | Origin / type | When it is the right choice |
|---|---|---|
| DOTP / DEHT | Non-phthalate terephthalate | General purpose flexible PVC including toys, food contact and medical |
| DOP / DEHP | CAS 117-81-7, restricted phthalate | Industrial PVC in unrestricted markets only |
| DINP | Diisononyl phthalate | Higher molecular weight phthalate, less restricted than DEHP but still a phthalate |
| DINCH | Cyclohexanoate | Premium non-phthalate for medical and sensitive applications |
| Epoxidised soybean oil | Bio-based | Secondary plasticiser and stabiliser, usually blended rather than used alone |
Stated plainly: DOTP has become the default because it delivers DOP performance without the phthalate classification at a modest cost difference. DINCH remains the premium choice for the most sensitive medical applications.
Industries We Supply Dioctyl Terephthalate To
DOTP serves toys, food contact, medical, cable, flooring and general flexible PVC.
Where Dioctyl Terephthalate is Used
General flexible PVC compounding takes the largest DOTP volume, with toys, food contact and medical applications driving the switch from phthalates.
Replacing DOP with DOTP
Substitution is usually close to one-for-one on loading, with a small processing adjustment for slightly slower fusion and sometimes a minor change in stabiliser package. Most compounders report that the switch is far less disruptive than the regulatory pressure that prompted it, which is why DOTP displaced DOP quickly once restrictions took hold.
Recycled content
DOTP can be produced from depolymerised post-consumer PET reacted with 2-ethylhexanol, giving a plasticiser with documented recycled content. For brand owners with recycled content targets, this is a route to count material in a product category where recycled polymer itself cannot be used.
Need a specific grade, purity and packing format?
Tell us the grade, the application, acid value requirement and whether food contact or toy safety documentation is needed, the packing format you can receive and the annual quantity. We will come back with a price, a lead time, a sample COA and the full documentation set.
Quality Control & Testing
Every lot is released against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis, with acid value and colour reported, and migration and compliance documentation for regulated applications.
- DOTP purity and ester content — by gas chromatography, the primary grade measure.
- Acid value — critical for cable and for compound stability.
- Colour — by APHA, predicting the appearance of the finished compound.
- Water content — confirming adequate drying after washing.
- Volatility — predicting permanence in the finished article.
- Volume resistivity — for cable grades, where DOTP typically outperforms DOP.
Common Process Problems & Likely Causes
When DOTP causes trouble, it is usually fusion behaviour, acid value or stabiliser interaction. This table is the shortcut our technical desk works through before anyone opens a complaint file.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Fusion slower than with DOP | DOTP gels marginally more slowly | Processing temperature and residence time adjustment |
| Conductor corrosion in cable | Acid value above specification | Acid value figure and compound storage |
| Compound colour poor | Colour in the plasticiser or stabiliser interaction | APHA colour and stabiliser package |
| Plate-out during processing | Loading level or stabiliser incompatibility | Formulation review after the DOP to DOTP switch |
| Low-temperature flexibility insufficient | Monomeric plasticiser limits | Adipate blending for cold flexibility |
| Migration test failure in food contact | Loading level or article thickness | Migration data against the specific food simulant |
Packaging, Storage & Shipping
- Standard packing. 200 L drums, 1000 L IBCs, flexitanks, ISO tank containers and bulk parcels.
- Storage. Clean, dry, covered storage at ambient temperature; DOTP is combustible rather than flammable.
- Material compatibility. Carbon steel and stainless steel are suitable; stainless preferred where colour matters.
- Contamination control. Keep tanks and lines clean, and dedicated where food contact or medical documentation applies.
- Moisture. Keep dry; water affects compounding and electrical properties.
- Segregation. Keep apart from strong oxidisers; segregate from phthalates where documentation requires it.
- Shelf life. Typically 24 months in sealed storage; colour and acid value are the practical checks.
- Transport classification. Not classified as dangerous goods for transport.
Hazards & Safe Handling
DOTP has low toxicity, is not classified as a reproductive toxicant, and is not regulated for transport. It is among the more benign products we supply.
- Low toxicity. Not classified as hazardous in most jurisdictions, and specifically not classified as a reproductive toxicant.
- Food contact acceptance. Approved for food contact use in the EU, US and other markets, with specific migration limits applying.
- Combustible liquid. Flash point about 215 °C; not a flammable-liquid hazard but it will burn in a fire.
- Skin and eye contact. Mild irritant at most; use gloves and eye protection for routine handling.
- Hot handling. Compounding operations run hot; thermal burns are the realistic process hazard.
- Environment. Poorly soluble; contain spills and prevent entry to drains and watercourses.
Regulatory & Compliance Notes
DOTP is unregulated for transport and widely approved for sensitive applications. The notes below are orientation rather than legal advice.
- GHS classification. Not classified as hazardous in most jurisdictions.
- Transport. Not classified as dangerous goods. Standard packaged and bulk cargo documentation applies.
- Food contact. Authorised in the EU under Regulation 10/2011 and in the US under FDA regulations, with specific migration limits.
- Toy safety. Not subject to the phthalate restrictions in EN 71 and equivalent toy safety regulations.
- Medical devices. Used as a DEHP alternative in medical devices, subject to biocompatibility assessment.
- REACH and inventories. Registered under EU REACH and listed on the major chemical inventories.
We Supply Dioctyl Terephthalate Worldwide
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and export partner, not a single-plant trader. We ship Dioctyl Terephthalate from India and from partner sources to customers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North and South America, handling the export documentation, transport paperwork and freight so the material arrives ready to use.
- Incoterms. EXW, FOB, CIF, CFR and DAP quoted to suit your purchasing terms and freight arrangements.
- Ports. Regular shipments through Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and Mundra, with other ports arranged where routing and cargo rules allow.
- Documentation. Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, COA, SDS and the transport declaration issued as a complete set.
- Flexible volumes. From a pallet of drums up to repeat bulk shipments on a supply contract.
- Supply continuity. Because we are independent of any one producer, a plant turnaround or a shipping disruption at one source does not have to become your stock-out.
Buying Dioctyl Terephthalate from Chelora
We are an independent sourcing and supply partner. For DOTP that means settling three things at enquiry: the application and its acid value and resistivity requirements, whether food contact, toy or medical documentation is needed, and whether recycled content certification is required.
- Documentation on every lot. Batch-specific COA (purity, acid value, colour, volatility), plus SDS and the full transport paperwork.
- Analysis before commitment. Representative analysis shared ahead of a commercial order so your lab can qualify the material.
- Quantities. From a pallet of drums through to full bulk shipments on contract supply.
- Grade matching. General purpose or cable-grade DOTP, with food contact, toy safety or recycled content documentation where required.
- Inspection. Independent third-party inspection available at loading when the contract requires it.
- Related products. Polyvinyl Chloride, Dioctyl Phthalate, Purified Terephthalic Acid and other feedstocks alongside Dioctyl Terephthalate from one supplier.
How ordering works
- Send the enquiry. Product, grade or purity, quantity, destination port and the Incoterm you buy on. If you have a spec sheet, attach it — it saves a round trip.
- We quote. Price, lead time, packing format and a sample COA, normally within one working day.
- Qualify the supply. For first orders or critical applications, we share the analysis and handling documentation so your technical and safety teams can sign off before you commit.
- Confirm the order. Proforma invoice issued; payment terms agreed against the volume and the relationship.
- Allocation and QC. Material allocated and released against a batch-specific COA, with an independent inspection where the contract calls for it.
- Ship and document. Filled, labelled and loaded with the full export document set, and tracked through to arrival.
Dioctyl Terephthalate — Common Questions
The questions our technical desk is asked most often about Dioctyl Terephthalate. If yours isn't here, call or email and you will reach someone who knows the chemistry.
What is the CAS number of DOTP?
The CAS number for di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate is 6422-86-2, with EC number 229-176-9. Its molecular formula is C₂₄H₃₈O₄ with a molecular weight of 390.56 g/mol, and it is classified under HS code 2917.39.
What is DOTP used for?
As the standard non-phthalate general purpose plasticiser for flexible PVC: toys and childcare articles, food contact PVC, medical devices, cable compounds, vinyl flooring, hose, profile and coated fabrics.
Do you supply DOTP worldwide?
Yes. Chelora Chemicals supplies and exports DOTP worldwide — across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas, as well as throughout India, with food contact and toy safety documentation where required.
What is the difference between DOTP and DOP?
The same alcohol esterified with terephthalic acid instead of phthalic anhydride — para instead of ortho substitution. That single change removes the reproductive toxicity classification while leaving plasticising performance almost unchanged.
Is DOTP a phthalate?
No. It is a terephthalate, and it is specifically not covered by the phthalate restrictions in toy safety, food contact and medical device regulations. That is the main reason it is specified.
How is DOTP manufactured?
By esterifying terephthalic acid or DMT with excess 2-ethylhexanol over a titanate catalyst at about 220 °C with water removal, then stripping alcohol, neutralising, washing and treating. It can also be made from depolymerised recycled PET.
Is switching from DOP to DOTP difficult?
Usually not. Substitution is close to one-for-one on loading, with a small processing adjustment for slightly slower fusion and sometimes a minor stabiliser change. Most compounders find the switch straightforward.
Is DOTP approved for food contact?
Yes, in the EU under Regulation 10/2011 and in the US under FDA regulations, with specific migration limits applying. We supply the compliance documentation with food contact grades.
Is DOTP hazardous?
No. It is not classified as hazardous in most jurisdictions, is not a reproductive toxicant, and is not regulated for transport. It is among the more benign products we supply.
Can DOTP be made from recycled PET?
Yes. Post-consumer PET can be depolymerised and reacted with 2-ethylhexanol to give DOTP with documented recycled content, which is useful for brand owners with recycled content targets.
Does DOTP perform as well as DOP in cable?
Generally yes, and volume resistivity is typically higher, which cable compounders value. Acid value remains the critical specification for conductor corrosion, as with any plasticiser.
What packing sizes are available?
200 L drums, 1000 L IBCs, flexitanks, ISO tank containers and bulk parcels. Orders run from a pallet of drums up to repeat bulk cargoes on contract supply.
Ready to source Dioctyl Terephthalate?
Send us your specification, grade and annual volume. You will get a price, a realistic lead time and a sample COA from someone who understands what the material has to do in your process — delivered anywhere in the world.