Substance profile
Theophylline
Theophylline is a white, crystalline alkaloid and is odorless.
01 · Identification
What Theophylline is
Theophylline is a white, crystalline alkaloid and is odorless. Its molecular formula is C7H8N4O2 and its molecular weight is 180.16 g/mol. It melts at 274 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger.
Other names for Theophylline
- 1,3-dimethyl-3,7-dihydro-1H-purine-2,6-dione
02 · GHS classification
Hazards and label elements
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H360D | May damage the unborn child. |
Precautionary statements: P201, P280, P308, P313
This page lists only the codes assigned to Theophylline. The full reference lives on the hazard statements hub, the precautionary statements hub and the GHS pictograms hub.
03 · Physical and chemical properties
Theophylline properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | 274 °C (525.2 °F) | HSDB | |
| 273.06 °C (523.5 °F) | range, midpoint shown | CAMEO | |
| 272 °C (521.6 °F) | range, midpoint shown | ICSC | |
| Density | g/cm³ | ICSC | |
| Solubility | Slightly soluble in water | HSDB | |
| Slightly soluble in ethanol, ether, chloroform | HSDB | ||
| In water, 7,360 mg/L at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB | |
| Vapor pressure | negligible | ICSC |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
04 · Handling and storage
Storing and handling Theophylline
Storage conditions
Store at 20 deg -25 °C (68 deg - 77 °F); excursions permitted between 15 deg - 30 °C (59 deg - 86 °F).
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Incompatible materials
Incompatible materials: Strong oxidizing agents.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Reactivity
THEOPHYLLINE neutralizes acids in exothermic reactions to form salts plus water. May be incompatible with isocyanates, halogenated organics, peroxides, phenols (acidic), epoxides, anhydrides, and acid halides. Flammable gaseous hydrogen may be generated in combination with strong reducing agents, such as hydrides.
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Theophylline in the storage compatibility matrix →
Safety Data Sheet
Getting an SDS for Theophylline
A Safety Data Sheet is written for a product, not for a substance: the supplier of the grade you actually buy issues it, so two suppliers of Theophylline issue two different sheets. That is why there is no single authoritative SDS for a substance to download — what there is, is the job of collecting the sheets for the products you hold and keeping them current as suppliers revise them.
Nearby
Substances next to Theophylline
Keep going: substances starting with T, or search the whole database by name, CAS number, pictogram or signal word.