Alcohol denaturants denatonium benzoate

Benzyldiethyl[(2,6-xylylcarbamoyl)methyl]ammoniumbenzoate (denatonium benzoate [3734-33-6] Bitrex) is an extremely bitter tasting, nonirritating, and nonmutagenic compound that has been widely used in many household products such as detergents, nail poHsh removers, and cleaning agents, to prevent childhood poisoning. It is also used as an alcohol denaturant. 

When used in products not licensed for drinking, ethanol usually occurs in the form of denatured alcohol, or specially denatured alcohol—alcohol that has been rendered unfit for drinking. You will often see SD alcohol mentioned on a label, sometimes followed by a number and letter, such as 40-B. This is the designation given by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to the denaturing method used. For example, SD-40 is ethanol denatured by adding tiny amounts of the most bitter-tasting substance known denatonium benzoate. 

Denatonium benzoate is the bitterest-tasting substance known. It gets its name from denatured alcohol—alcohol that has been rendered unfit for drinking—and is often used in the denaturing process. Specially denatured alcohol 40, or SD-40, is ethanol that has been denatured by a tiny amount of denatonium benzoate. Denatonium benzoate is an ester of PABA, and is related to lidocaine, benzocaine, novocaine, and cocaine. 

Pranaityte, B., Daunoravicus, Z., and Padarauskas, A. (2004). Development and validation of a capillary electrophoresis method for the determination of denatonium benzoate in denaturated alcohol formulations. Chromatographia 60(5 — 6), 353 — 357. 

Denatonium benzoate is used worldwide as a denaturant for alcohol. It is included in the FDA Inactive Ingredients Guide (topical gel and solution). 

Sugden K, Mayne TG, Loscombe CR. Determination of denatur-ants in alcoholic toilet preparations 1 denatonium benzoate (Bitrex) by high performance liquid chromatography. Analyst 1978 103(Jun) 653-656. 

Definition Ethyl alcohol denatured with methyl alcohol and one of the following denatonium benzoate, MIBK, mixed isomers of nitropropane, or methyl n-butyl ketone Uses Solvent, astringent, diluent for cosmetics Regulatory FDA 27CFR 20.11,21.32 Trade Names Crmlaitxng Tecsol 1 Tecsol 3... 

Classification Specially denatured alcohol Definition Ethyl alcohol (100 gal) denatured with denatonium benzoate (1/16 oz) and t-butyl alcohol (1/8 gal)... 

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