Chemical Compatibility Chart
Below is a chart adapted from the CRC Laboratory Handbook which groups various chemicals in to 23 groups with examples and incompatible chemical groups. This chart is by no means complete but it will aid in making decisions about storage. For more complete information please refer to the MSDS for the specific chemical.
Group |
Name |
Example |
Incompatible Groups |
Group 1 |
Inorganic Acids |
Hydrochloric acid Hydrofluoric acid Hydrogen chloride Hydrogen fluoride Nitric acid Sulfuric acid Phosphoric acid |
2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10,13,14,16,17,18,19,21,22,23 |
Group 2 |
Organic acids |
Acetic acid Butyric acid Formic acid Propionic acid |
1,3,4,7,14,16,17,18,19,22 |
Group 3 |
Caustics |
Sodium hydroxide Ammonium hydroxide solution |
1,2,6,7,8,13,14,15,16,17,18,20,23 |
Group 4 |
Amines and Alkanolamines |
Aminoethylethanolamine Aniline Diethanolamine Diethylamine Dimethylamine Ethylenediamine 2-Methyl-5-ethylpyridine Monoethanolamine Pyridine Triethanolamine Triethylamine Triethylenetetramine |
1,2,5,7,8,13,14,15,16,17,18,23 |
Group 5 |
Halogenated Compounds |
Allyl chloride Carbon tetrachloride Chlorobenzene Chloroform Methylene chloride Monochlorodifluoromethane 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Trichloroethylene Trichlorofluoromethane |
1,3,4,11,14,17 |
Group 6 |
Alcohols Glycols Glycol Ether |
1,4-Butanediol Butanol (iso, n, sec, tert) Diethylene glycol Ethyl alcohol Ethyl butanol Ethylene glycol Furfuryl alcohol Isoamyl alcohol Methyl alcohol Methylamyl alcohol Propylene glycol |
1,7,14,16,20,23 |
Group 7 |
Aldehydes Acetaldehyde |
Acrolein Butyraldehyde Crotonaldehyde Formaldehyde Furfural Paraformaldehyde Propionaldehyde |
1,2,3,4,6,8,15,16,17,19,20,23 |
Group 8 |
Ketones |
Acetone Acetophenone Diisobutyl ketone Methyl ethyl ketone |
1,3,4,7,19,20 |
Group 9 |
Saturated Hydrocarbons |
Butane Cyclohexane Ethane Heptane Paraffins Paraffin wax Pentane Petroleum ether |
20 |
Group 10 |
Aromatic Hydrocarbons |
Benzene Cumene Ethyl benzene Naphtha Naphthalene Toluene Xylene |
1,20 |
Group 11 |
Olefins |
Butylene 1-Decene 1-Dodecene Ethylene Turpentine |
1,5,20 |
Group 12 |
Petroleum Oils |
Gasoline Mineral Oil |
20 |
Group 13 |
Esters |
Amyl acetate Butyl acetates Castor oil Dimethyl sulfate Ethyl acetate |
1,3,4,19,20 |
Group 14 |
Monomers Polymerizable Esters |
Acrylic acid Acrylonitrile Butadiene Acrylates |
1,2,3,4,5,6,15,16,19,20,21,23 |
Group 15 |
Phenols |
Carbolic acid Cresote Cresols Phenol |
3,4,7,14,16,19,20 |
Group 16 |
Alkylene Oxides |
Ethylene oxide Propylene oxide |
1,2,3,4,6,7,14,15,17,18,19,23 |
Group 17 |
Cyanohydrins |
Acetone cyanohydrin Ethylene cyanohydrin |
1,2,3,4,5,7,16,19,23 |
Group 18 |
Nitriles |
Acetonitrile Adiponitrile |
1,2,3,4,16,23 |
Group 19 |
Ammonia |
Ammonium Hydroxide Ammonium Gas |
1,2,7,8,13,14,15,16,17,20,23 |
Group 20 |
Halogens |
Chlorine Fluorine |
3,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,19,21,22 |
Group 21 |
Ethers |
Diethyl Ether THF |
1,14,20 |
Group 22 |
Phosphorus |
Phosphorus, Elemental |
1,2,3,20 |
Group 23 |
Acid Anhydrides |
Acetic anhydride Propionic anhydride |
1,3,4,6,7,14,16,17,18,19 |