| HS Code | 540426 |
| Product Name | Magnesium Isopropoxide |
| Synonyms | Magnesium isopropylate; Magnesium diisopropoxide; Diisopropoxymagnesium; Magnesium bis(propan-2-olate) |
| Cas Number | 15571-48-9 |
| Ec Number | 239-621-1 |
| Chemical Formula | C6H14MgO2 |
| Linear Formula | Mg(OCH(CH3)2)2 |
| Iupac Name | magnesium bis(propan-2-olate) |
| Molecular Weight | 142.48 g/mol |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder or crystalline solid |
| Physical State | Solid |
| Color | White to off-white |
| Form | Powder |
| Odor | Slight alcohol-like odor |
| Density | 1.04 g/cm3 at 25 °C |
| Melting Point | 135 °C (decomposes) |
| Solubility | Soluble in alcohols, ethers, and hydrocarbons; reacts with water |
| Water Reactivity | Reacts with water to form magnesium hydroxide and isopropanol |
| Moisture Sensitivity | Moisture sensitive |
| Storage Conditions | Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place under inert gas |
| Incompatible Materials | Water, acids, oxidizing agents |
| Magnesium Content | Approximately 17.1% by weight |
| Hazard Classification | Irritant |
| Hazard Statements | May cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation |
| Stability | Stable under recommended storage conditions; sensitive to moisture |
As an accredited Magnesium Isopropoxide factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged in 100 g moisture-resistant, airtight amber glass bottles, clearly labeled with hazard warnings, batch number, and storage instructions. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Magnesium Isopropoxide loaded in a 20′ FCL container, packaged securely on pallets/drums, evenly distributed, lashed, and sealed for safe transport. |
| Shipping | Magnesium Isopropoxide is typically shipped as UN 3181, Metal salts of organic compounds, flammable, n.o.s., Hazard Class 4.1, Packing Group II. Use moisture-resistant packaging under inert gas, flammable-solid labels, and comply with DOT/IATA/IMDG rules. Keep away from water, heat, sparks, and oxidizers. |
| Storage | Store magnesium isopropoxide in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat, sparks, flame, acids, oxidizers, and moisture. Keep containers tightly closed under dry nitrogen or argon. Use inert, sealed containers and handle under anhydrous conditions. Segregate from incompatible materials. Ground containers during transfer. Do not store near water sources or in humid environments. Protect from static discharge. Follow regulations. |
| Shelf Life | Magnesium isopropoxide shelf life: about 12–24 months when stored sealed, cool, dry, under inert gas; moisture-sensitive, may degrade on exposure. |
In commercial polypropylene and high-density polyethylene plants, magnesium isopropoxide CAS 15571-48-9 is specified as a morphology-controlling precursor for the synthesis of MgCl₂-supported Ziegler-Natta procatalysts. The alkoxide is not used as a trace additive but as a stoichiometric carrier that is converted into magnesium chloride during titanation with TiCl₄. The reaction is carried out in a jacketed glass-lined or Hastelloy C-22 reactor equipped with an anchor agitator, at 90–130°C under nitrogen. A typical feed strategy introduces magnesium isopropoxide as a 12–20 wt% slurry in dried heptane or isoparaffin with a water content below 20 mg/kg. The Mg:Ti molar feed ratio is maintained between 2.0:1 and 10.0:1, with the lower portion favoring a narrower particle size distribution and the higher portion favoring higher bulk density of the final polymer. The final polymer produced by this catalytic system must comply with FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 for olefin polymers intended for food-contact articles and, in the European Union, with Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 Annex I. Melt flow rate is characterized according to ISO 1133-1:2022, and notched impact strength according to ISO 180:2023. The procatalyst itself must comply with REACH 1907/2006, with isopropanol released during hydrolysis handled under relevant occupational exposure limits.
On production-scale lines, the particle size distribution of the alkoxide precursor is the primary process variable. When the d50 of magnesium isopropoxide shifts from the specified 8–12 μm to a d50 above 25 μm due to improper dry handling at RH >60%, the resulting catalyst support generates fines during polymerization. These fines increase the fraction of sub-75 μm polymer particles and can cause loop reactor pump cavitation and transfer line fouling. The titanation sequence includes a cold pre-contact stage at 0–10°C, a programmed ramp to 90–130°C over 4–6 hours, and two or three hot washes with anhydrous TiCl₄. An internal electron donor, such as a phthalate or diether, is introduced before or during titanation to control isotacticity. The resulting procatalyst is used in bulk-phase loop reactors or gas-phase fluidized-bed reactors, often after prepolymerization at 10–30°C in propylene. Terminal polymer grades include polypropylene homopolymer, impact copolymer with ethylene content 8–15 mol%, and high-density polyethylene for injection molding and pipe. The commercial dosage of procatalyst relative to monomer is typically 0.02–0.06 wt%, governed by plant catalyst productivity targets.
Anhydrous ethanol-based sol formulations are prepared in humidity-controlled cleanrooms conforming to ISO 14644-1:2015 Class 5 conditions to deposit high-purity magnesium oxide dielectric layers. The precursor is dissolved at 0.20–0.40 mol/L in a mixed solvent of 2-methoxyethanol and ethanol, with a water-to-alkoxide molar ratio of 3:1 to 6:1 and nitric acid added at 0.05–0.15 mol/L to control hydrolysis. The solution is filtered through a 0.1 μm PTFE membrane and applied to SiO₂/Si wafers or indium tin oxide substrates by spin coating at 2000–4000 rpm for 20–30 s. Each layer is dried on a precision hot plate at 120–150°C for 5 min, then annealed in a quartz tube furnace at 400–700°C under 99.999% oxygen. Film adhesion is tested according to IPC-TM-650 Method 2.4.1, and layer thickness is verified by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The resulting terminal products include gate dielectric layers in thin-film transistors, insulating buffer layers in AC plasma display panels, and capacitor dielectric films, all subject to the restrictions in RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU Annex II.
Process control limits are narrow because hydrolysis of magnesium isopropoxide is exothermic and humidity-accelerated. At relative humidity above 55%, the sol forms gel particles that appear as comet defects after spin coating. Viscosity drift of more than 10% from the initial 1.5–4.0 mPa·s value leads to non-uniform film thickness, so the sol is used within 4–6 hours of hydrolysis. Peak annealing temperature determines residual carbon and film density; temperatures below 400°C leave unconverted alkoxide and hydroxide, while temperatures above 700°C can generate microcracks from thermal expansion mismatch with the substrate. Dense MgO layers 80–250 nm thick are produced at 400–500°C, with measurable resistivity above 1×10¹⁰ Ω·cm. The addition ratio is not expressed in weight percent to a final article but as molar concentration in the deposition solution; it is the primary determinant of spin-coating rheology and final film thickness.
Transesterification of triglycerides in continuous stirred-tank reactors is evaluated against EN 14214:2012+A2:2019 Table 2, which limits alkali metal residues in biodiesel to a maximum of 5 mg/kg sodium plus potassium. Sodium methoxide, used in many biodiesel plants at 0.5–1.0 wt% of oil, introduces sodium that must be removed by acid neutralization and repeated wet washing; failure to reach the limit creates a specification failure at the distillation stage. Magnesium isopropoxide is introduced as an alternative base catalyst at 0.8–1.5 wt% of oil, with a methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 9:1. The reactor is a jacketed CSTR operated at 60–65°C and a back-pressure of 1.5–4.0 bar under methanol reflux, with a residence time of 2–4 hours. In a two-stage configuration, 70–80% of the methanol and catalyst are charged in the first reactor, and the remaining 20–30% are charged in the second to drive conversion above 96.5%. Residual catalyst is removed by phosphoric acid neutralization, wet washing, and dry adsorption with magnesium silicate or ion-exchange resin.
Process data from multi-feedstock units show that magnesium-containing residues behave differently from sodium soaps during wet washing. Sodium soaps stabilize emulsions, increasing centrifuge load and raising the moisture content of the crude ester above the 500 mg/kg target. Soap-stabilized emulsions are the main throughput bottleneck on lines processing high-free-fatty-acid feedstocks. Magnesium isopropoxide, when hydrolyzed, forms magnesium hydroxide and magnesium carboxylates with lower emulsification tendency, reducing the wash water amount by 20–40% on certain lines. The final ester must be tested according to ASTM D6751-23a limits: free glycerol maximum 0.020 mass%, total glycerol maximum 0.240 mass%, and monoglycerides maximum 0.40 mass%. Terminal products are EN 14214-compliant fatty acid methyl esters for road diesel blending and crude glycerin at 80–85% purity. Published data for catalyst performance with high-phosphorus soybean oil is limited, so pilot-scale trials are recommended before fixed reactor loading.
In refractory and electronic-ceramic slip formulations where chloride residues must stay below 50 mg/kg, magnesium isopropoxide is used as a binder and sintering aid because combustion of the isopropoxide ligand leaves no chloride-bearing salts. The binder is added at 1.5–4.0 wt% of dry ceramic powder, typically after hydrolysis in a solvent isopropanol-water mixture with pH adjusted to 3.5–5.0. The slip is prepared in a high-shear disperser at 2000–3000 rpm under vacuum to remove entrapped air, then tape-cast through a doctor blade with a gap of 0.3–1.5 mm onto a silicone-coated polyester carrier. The green tape is dried at 40–60°C for 12–24 hours, debound at 300–500°C at a ramp rate of 0.5–1.0°C/min, and sintered in air at 1400–1600°C. The final dense magnesium oxide body is tested according to ISO 5017:2013 for bulk density and apparent porosity. Terminal products include MgO crucibles for metal melting, thermocouple sheaths, slip-cast kiln furniture, and dense MgO substrates for electrochemical sensors.
On production lines, the main processing window is the debinding ramp. Because magnesium isopropoxide hydrolyzes to a gel that traps residual solvent, too steep a ramp—above 1.0°C/min—creates internal pressure that causes lamination cracks in tapes thicker than 0.5 mm. The binder content above 4.0 wt% reduces green density and increases sintered shrinkage to more than 15%, which is unacceptable for net-shape saggers. A binder content below 1.5 wt% fails to provide adequate green strength for slumping and demolding. Operators monitor green tape tensile strength with a universal testing machine and target a value of 1.5–3.0 MPa. The final terminal ceramic products are certified under the European Ceramic Industry Federation guidelines for trace metal release when used in contact with molten non-ferrous metals.
Where low-alkali condensation conditions are required for pharmaceutical intermediates, magnesium isopropoxide is charged as a solid base catalyst in dried glass-lined batch reactors. The addition ratio is 0.5–2.0 mol% relative to the carbonyl substrate, with the catalyst slurried in anhydrous toluene or tetrahydrofuran at 5–10 wt%. In a typical aldol condensation or Knoevenagel reaction, the substrate is dissolved in solvent, the alkoxide is added at −10°C to 40°C under nitrogen, and the mixture is aged for 2–8 hours. The reaction is quenched with aqueous acetic acid at pH 4.5–5.5, filtered through a 0.45 μm filter, and extracted to separate the organic product. Residual magnesium is removed by washing with citric acid solution; elemental impurity limits are evaluated according to ICH Q3D, with magnesium classified as an element for which no PDE limit is required at typical levels but controlled at release. Terminal product types include chiral intermediates, indole derivatives, and fragrance aldehydes. The process is limited by the moisture sensitivity of the alkoxide; reactor headspace dew point below −40°C is required to prevent premature hydrolysis.
Flexible PVC compounding lines that incorporate nano-magnesium oxide derived from magnesium isopropoxide require strict control of hydrolysis kinetics because the particle size and surface area of the resulting MgO determine smoke suppression performance. The alkoxide is hydrolyzed in an isopropanol-water solution at 20–30°C with a water-to-alkoxide molar ratio of 4:1 to 8:1, using 0.1–0.5 wt% oleic acid or silane as surface modifier to prevent agglomeration. The resulting nano-MgO is dried under vacuum at 80°C and incorporated into PVC at 1.0–5.0 wt% using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder with a 40:1 L/D ratio at 150–180°C. Smoke density of the final compound is tested according to IEC 61034-2:2005, and limiting oxygen index according to ISO 4589-2:2017. Terminal products include low-smoke flame-retardant cable sheathing, flooring, and automotive interior profiles. RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU Annex II restrictions apply to the final articles; magnesium-based additives are selected because they do not add restricted heavy metals.
Production experience shows that nano-MgO obtained from uncontrolled hydrolysis creates agglomerates larger than 40 μm, which plug the side feeder throat and cause surface defects in extruded cable sheathing. Controlled hydrolysis with surface modifier maintains the MgO d50 between 80 and 200 nm and a surface area between 60 and 120 m²/g. At addition levels above 5.0 wt%, the compound loses tensile strength because MgO particles act as stress concentrators, so the maximum loading is balanced against mechanical requirements. The magnesium isopropoxide route is preferred where sodium and chloride contamination must remain below 100 mg/kg in the final compound; the alternative magnesium hydroxide feedstock can introduce carbonate and calcium. Smoke suppression performance is characterised by a measurable reduction in peak smoke density of 20–40% compared to unmodified PVC, with the exact value dependent on plasticizer type.
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Magnesium isopropoxide, CAS 15571-48-9, is a divalent metal alkoxide with the formula Mg[OCH(CH3)2]2 and a molecular mass of 142.48 g mol⁻¹. Commercial model forms include free-flowing powder, −200 mesh (75 μm) micronized material, granular material in the range 0.5–1.0 mm, and 20 wt% solutions in anhydrous isopropanol. The compound functions as a reactive magnesium source for sol-gel oxide films, MgO and MgAl2O4 ceramics, polyolefin catalyst support generation, and alkoxide-bridged synthetic routes. In contrast to aluminum isopropoxide or titanium isopropoxide, the magnesium center is divalent and more ionic; its hydrolysis produces brucite-type Mg(OH)2 or periclase MgO rather than a network-forming amphoteric oxide. The material is supplied under dry nitrogen because it is strongly moisture-sensitive and decomposes in contact with liquid water.
In anhydrous isopropanol, the compound does not remain as a simple neutral monomer. Alkoxide bridging produces oligomeric species whose degree of aggregation is reduced by donor solvents such as tetrahydrofuran, 2-methoxyethanol, or N-methylpyrrolidone. This aggregation behavior has practical consequences in coating and impregnation operations: solutions must be filtered through 0.22–1.0 μm PTFE membranes under inert gas to remove hydrolysed particulate, and viscosity can rise slowly if the solvent contains adventitious water above 0.1 wt%. For high-purity thin-film work, a 0.5 M solution in 2-methoxyethanol is typically used within 24 h of preparation because slow condensation with residual moisture alters the oligomer distribution and can produce gel-like haze. The presence of free isopropanol is specified on the certificate of analysis because it shifts the equilibrium between bridged and terminal alkoxide species and therefore changes the hydrolysis response.
No universal ISO or ASTM monograph covers the composition of magnesium isopropoxide; therefore the effective specification is defined by the supplier certificate, the packaging atmosphere, and the analytical method. The table below lists representative ranges for catalyst-grade and high-purity electronic-grade material. The values are lot-dependent and must be verified before scale-up.
| Parameter | Catalyst-grade | High-purity electronic-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Assay by complexometric titration | ≥98.0 % | ≥99.5 % |
| Magnesium content | 16.5–17.5 % | 16.9–17.2 % |
| Chloride as Cl | ≤0.05–0.20 % | ≤0.01 % |
| Water by ASTM E203 | ≤0.5 % | ≤0.1 % |
| Residual isopropanol | ≤2.0 % | ≤0.5 % |
| Particle size distribution | −200 mesh | −325 mesh |
Water content is measured by Karl Fischer titration according to ASTM E203; chloride is typically determined by argentometric titration after acidic digestion; magnesium content is checked by complexometric titration or inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The difference between 98.0 % and 99.5 % assay may appear small, but the remaining mass consists mainly of adsorbed isopropanol, hydroxyl groups, and residual chloride. In moisture-sensitive catalyst operations, the chloride level is often the critical parameter because chloride introduced with the alkoxide can alter the Mg:Cl stoichiometry of the final support.
In hydrolysis-condensation processing for MgO and MgAl2O4 films, the high ionic character of the Mg–O bond produces rapid reaction with free water. The hydrolysis ratio is therefore held between 2 mol and 4 mol H2O per mol alkoxide; higher ratios generate precipitation of brucite-type Mg(OH)2 rather than a transparent sol. The alkoxide is commonly dissolved in 2-methoxyethanol or anhydrous isopropanol at 0.2–0.5 M metal concentration. The addition of acetylacetone at a molar ratio of 0.5–1.0 to Mg slows condensation by chelation and extends gelation time from minutes to several hours at 25 °C. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; process development generally requires a jacket-cooled glass or stainless reactor capable of maintaining 0–5 °C during the water addition step because the hydrolysis enthalpy can raise the bulk temperature above the gelation threshold. Spin coating at 2000–4000 rpm on dried silicon or quartz substrates yields wet films that are converted to dense MgO after drying at 120–150 °C and annealing at 450–600 °C in air. Thermogravimetric analysis of the dried gel typically shows a broad mass-loss region from 250 °C to 450 °C, with the principal organic decomposition occurring between 350 °C and 420 °C. The onset of crystalline periclase MgO is not a single point but is reported to become detectable by X-ray diffraction after annealing near 400 °C; lattice parameter data for the resulting MgO fall near 0.4212 nm. Surface roughness measurements by atomic force microscopy on 1 μm scan areas are reported in the range of 0.5–2 nm for optimized single-layer films, but published data for this specific precursor is limited.
Magnesium isopropoxide occupies an intermediate position among metal isopropoxides. Compared with aluminum isopropoxide, it is less Lewis acidic and less prone to forming stable trimeric or tetrameric species; compared with titanium isopropoxide, it hydrolyzes less violently and does not form the same dense, highly crosslinked oxide network. These differences are summarized below.
| Property | Magnesium isopropoxide | Aluminum isopropoxide | Titanium isopropoxide | Calcium isopropoxide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal centre oxidation state | +II | +III | +IV | +II |
| Molecular mass | 142.48 g mol⁻¹ | 204.24 g mol⁻¹ | 284.22 g mol⁻¹ | 158.25 g mol⁻¹ |
| Hydrolysis product | Mg(OH)2/MgO | Al(OH)3/Al2O3 | TiO2 gel/oxide | Ca(OH)2/CaO |
| Theoretical oxide yield | 28.3 % | 25.0 % | 28.1 % | 35.4 % |
| Hydrolysis sensitivity in neutral water | High; rapid precipitation | Very high; exothermic gelation | Very high; immediate precipitation | Very high; strong base evolution |
| Lewis acidity of metal centre | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Weak |
| Preferred oxide application | MgO films, spinel, catalyst support | Alumina films, ceramic binder | TiO2 photocatalytic and optical films | CaO sorbent, superconducting precursor |
Because magnesium isopropoxide is divalent, it introduces fewer crosslinks per metal atom than aluminum or titanium isopropoxides. This lower crosslink density is advantageous in MgO film formation, where excessive network rigidity can cause cracking during drying. However, the ionic character of the Mg–O bond makes the gel more sensitive to carbonate formation; exposure to ambient air during annealing can produce MgCO3 or hydroxycarbonate species that decompose only above 500 °C.
Conversion to an active olefin polymerization support is one of the largest-scale industrial uses of magnesium alkoxides. In this route, magnesium isopropoxide is reacted with a chlorinating agent such as TiCl4, benzoyl chloride, or HCl in a hydrocarbon diluent to form MgCl2. The reaction is strongly exothermic; in production equipment the alkoxide is added as a slurry in dry isopentane or heptane, and the jacket temperature is maintained below 50 °C. Residual isopropanol in the feed must be below 0.5 wt% before the chlorination step because free alcohol consumes TiCl4 and changes the support morphology. After chlorination, the MgCl2 precursor is contacted with an internal donor such as a phthalate ester or diether and then with TiCl4 at 90–125 °C to form the final procatalyst. Batch-to-batch catalyst activity varies with the particle size distribution of the original alkoxide; powder grades with a median particle size near 10–30 μm are preferred in stirred-bed chlorinators to avoid fines that cause fouling in downstream polymerization reactors. Published data for this specific configuration is limited because industrial catalyst recipes are proprietary; however, the selection of magnesium isopropoxide over the ethoxide is often made when the alkoxide feed must dissolve more readily in hydrocarbon solvents and when a slower, more controllable chlorination rate is required.
Magnesium isopropoxide has a lower magnesium mass fraction than magnesium ethoxide: 17.05 % theoretical Mg versus 21.25 % theoretical Mg for the ethoxide with a formula weight of 114.43 g mol⁻¹. Consequently, 1 kg of magnesium isopropoxide yields approximately 0.28 kg of MgO after complete hydrolysis and calcination, while 1 kg of the ethoxide yields approximately 0.35 kg under equivalent conditions. The isopropoxide ligand provides greater steric hindrance at the metal centre, which reduces the rate of uncontrolled hydrolysis and permits a wider processing window in humid air. It also shows higher solubility in toluene and tetrahydrofuran after partial ligand exchange with alcohols or β-diketones, making it more suitable for solution-based coating and impregnation formulations. The trade-off is higher cost per mole of magnesium and a greater mass of volatile organics released during pyrolysis. For catalyst support production, the ethoxide may be selected when maximum magnesium loading per unit mass and lower raw-material cost dominate; the isopropoxide may be selected when slurry rheology, chlorination rate, and particle morphology control are the critical process variables.
The material is packaged under dry nitrogen in sealed fluoropolymer-lined containers. Storage should be at 15–25 °C with a dry nitrogen pad having a dew point below −40 °C. Containers should be opened only in a glovebox or under a nitrogen sweep; exposure to ambient air with relative humidity above 60 % produces surface hydroxide and may generate free isopropanol, which is flammable. The powder must not be combined with water, strong acids, oxidizing agents, or amine-based additives that accelerate alkoxide hydrolysis and can cause premature gelation or exothermic release. Stainless-steel or glass-lined equipment is preferred for production-scale handling because the alkaline-earth alkoxide can corrode aluminum and zinc surfaces in the presence of moisture. Safety data sheets for commercial lots classify the product as flammable solid or water-reactive depending on particle size and solvent content; the user must verify the lot-specific GHS classification before storage.
