Aliphatic and Alicyclic Amines

Aliphatic and alicyclic amines are nonaromatic amines that have a straight chain, a branched chain, or a cyclic alkyl moiety attached to the nitrogen atom. Aliphatic amines are highly alkaline and tend to be fat soluble. As such, they have the potential to produce severe irritation to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Corrosive burns as well as marked allergic sensitization may also occur. Volatile amines, which are characterized by boiling points lower than 100°C, are highly irritating and include methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine, ethylamine, diethylamine, triethylamine, n-propylamine, isopropylamine, diisopropylamine, allylamine, n-butylamine, isobutylamine, sec-butylamine, tert-butylamine, and dimethylbutylamine. Workplace practice must consider these properties in developing strategies to protect workers. Toxicity information in humans continues to be limited. Although great strides in understanding the process of carcinogenicity have been made in recent years, controversies regarding potential aliphatic amine carcinogenicity are far from being resolved. Of considerable interest is the possibility of nitrosamine formation, which is both compound specific and pH dependent. Keywords: Aliphatic amines; Alicyclic amines; Odors and warnings; Eye irritant