Methyl 2-chloroacrylate is a colorless liquid used in manufacture of acrylic high polymer similar to polymethylmethacrylate. It is also used as a monomer for certain specialty polymers.
Methyl 2-chloroacrylate is polymerizable, insoluble in water, and a skin, eye, and lung irritant. Inhalation of vapors causes pulmonary edema. Trace amounts on the skin cause large blisters.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1998. Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS) Chemical Profiles and Emergency First Aid Guides. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office
2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid, an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of L-cysteine, is produced by the reaction of thiourea with methyl 2-chloroacrylate.
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