Industrial Solvents: IPA, Butanol, 2-EH, Acetates, MEK & Phenol

Industrial solvents are bought on grade, pack and paperwork. Isopropyl alcohol sells as 99.8% technical grade, pharmacopoeia grade and electronic grade to SEMI C41; n-butanol and 2-ethylhexanol are the oxo alcohols behind acrylates, acetates, glycol ethers and PVC plasticizers; ethyl acetate and n-butyl acetate are the ester solvents of inks, adhesives and coatings, with food-grade ethyl acetate permitted in the US for decaffeinating coffee and tea under 21 CFR 173.228; methyl ethyl ketone is a ketone solvent listed in Table II of the 1988 UN Convention; and phenol, made with acetone in the cumene process, feeds bisphenol A and phenolic resins. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers IPA (HS 2905.12), n-butanol and 2-EH (HS 2905.13 and 2905.16), ethyl and n-butyl acetate (HS 2915.31 and 2915.33), MEK (HS 2914.12) and phenol (HS 2907.11) from producers' offtake and trader parcels, against the producer's certificate of analysis, SGS or Intertek inspection, safety data sheets, certificates of origin and REACH registration confirmation for EU imports. UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations put HS 2905.12 at about USD 1.65 billion, led by the USA at USD 342 million; HS 2907.11 phenol at about USD 1.39 billion, led by the USA at USD 228 million; HS 2915.31 ethyl acetate at about USD 1.12 billion, led by China at USD 387 million; and HS 2914.12 MEK at about USD 660 million, led by China at USD 234 million.

Most lots move in 20-24 MT ISO tanks, IBCs and drums in containers under dangerous goods documentation, and bulk buyers take chemical-tanker parcels under the IBC Code. IPA (UN 1219, flash point 12 °C), ethyl acetate (UN 1173, -4 °C), MEK (UN 1193, -9 °C), n-butyl acetate (UN 1123, 22 °C) and n-butanol (UN 1120, 35 °C) are Class 3 flammable liquids; phenol is Class 6.1, UN 2312 molten or UN 1671 solid. MEK carries the precursor import permit or end-user declaration each destination requires. Acetone, acetic acid, toluene and MTBE are on the petrochemicals page, methanol has its own page and ethanol is on the biofuels page. Pricing is per MT on contract or spot basis against ICIS, Platts and Argus assessments. Send the product, grade, volume, pack and discharge port.