What is Benzyl Chloride used for?

Benzyl Chloride, with the chemical formula C7H7Cl and CAS number 100-44-7, is an important organic chemical intermediate. It appears as a colorless or slightly yellow transparent liquid with a pungent odor and can be miscible with organic solvents such as ethanol and ether. It is slightly soluble in water and readily decomposes in the air to produce benzyl alcohol and hydrochloric acid due to hydrolysis. It is highly reactive and can undergo various reactions such as substitution and addition. It is widely used as an important intermediate in fine chemical products such as dyes, medicines, fragrances, and pesticides.

Under the dual regulatory pressure of REACH and EPA, more than 60% of the production capacity in North America and the European Union has switched to green routes such as continuous photolytic chlorination and chlorine gas recycling. German company Lanxess has increased the chlorine utilization rate to 99% using an LED ultraviolet circulating tower. The by-product hydrochloric acid is directly supplied to food phosphate plants, eliminating waste acid and reducing energy consumption by 15% per ton. Its green process not only reduces the carbon footprint but also provides raw materials with low moisture and low free chlorine for high-end applications such as electronic-grade cleaning agents, photoinitiators, and special solvents. Its annual growth rate is over 8%, much higher than that of traditional medicine, pesticides, and fragrances. The most prominent "trend" in the demand side comes from the OLED panels in the EU. The production capacity will still maintain an annual growth rate of 8% in the next three years, corresponding to a high-purity benzyl chloride annual shortage of 2.3 million tons and still widening. Therefore, although the global market size of benzyl chloride is approximately 2.17 billion US dollars in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of about 5% from 2025 to 2032, the high-end product line is expected to expand at double the speed, becoming the only "price and quantity both rising" track in the shrinking market.