Sub-Product

Dichloromethane is an organic compound with the formula CH₂Cl₂. This colorless, volatile liquid with a moderately sweet aroma is widely used as a solvent. Although it is not miscible with water, it is miscible with many organic solvents.

DCM's volatility and ability to dissolve a wide range of organic compounds makes it a useful solvent for many chemical processes. It is widely used as a paint stripper and a degreaser. In the food industry, it has been used to decaffeinate coffee and tea as well as to prepare extracts of hops and other flavorings. Its volatility has led to its use as an aerosol spray propellant and as a blowing agent for polyurethane foams.

DCM is produced by treating either chloromethane or methane with chlorine gas at 400–500 °C. At these temperatures, both methane and chloromethane undergo a series of reactions producing progressively more chlorinated products.

The output of these processes is a mixture of chloromethane, dichloromethane, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride. These compounds are separated by distillation.

Source: Infogalactic, Dichloromethane.