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Overview
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DI-klor-oh-DI-fee-nul-TRI-klor-oh-eth-ane) is a colorless crystalline or white powdery material with a slight aromatic odor. It is far better known by its acronym, DDT. DDT was first synthesized in 1873 by German chemist Othmar Zeidler (1859–1911) as a project for his doctoral thesis. However, the compound was essentially ignored by other chemists and remained a laboratory curiosity for more than sixty years.
Key Facts
Other Names:
DDT; see Overview for additional names
Formula:
(ClC6H4)2CHCCl3
Elements:
Carbon, hydrogen, chlorine
Compound Type:
Halogenated hydrocarbon (organic)
State:
Solid
Molecular Weight:
354.49 g/mol
Melting Point:
108.5°C (227.3°F)
Boiling Point:
260°C (500°F)
Solubility:
Insoluble in water; slightly soluble in ethyl alcohol; soluble in ether, acetone, and benzene
Then, in 1939, Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller (1899–1965) discovered that DDT is very effective in killing a wide variety of insects including the common housefly, the mosquito, the louse, and the Colorado beetle. Müller's...
This section contains 1,112 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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