Toxicological investigations on dimethylformamide.

The boiling point is 1530 C., and it is miscible with water and some organic solvents. On boiling with water or alkali it hydrolyzes to formic acid and dimethylamine. It is more stable than formamide and can be distilled. For the present work freshly distilled dimethylformamide was used and all aqueous solutions were freshly prepared. Dimethylformamide in the atmosphere may be trapped by passing the air through two bubblers containing water and estimating it by the method of Bergmann (1952). Of a dimethylformamide solution, 10 ml. was mixed with 1 ml. 3-5 N-NaOH and 1 ml. 2N-hydroxylamine sulphate. After shaking, it was left at 150 C. for four hours and 1 ml. of 3-5 N-HCI and 0 74 M-FeCI3 added and the colour estimated. It may be estimated directly in blood after precipitating the proteins or in filtrates of urine or stomach contents.