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...