n-Hexane under REACH
C6H14 · 正己烷
Status: Registered. n-Hexane is fully registered under REACH at the high tonnage band (>100,000 tonnes/year, verify exact tonnage band against ECHA registration dossier before relying). **Distinguishing pattern: Production from light naphtha steam-cracker C6 fraction or refinery raffinate / hydrotreater stream (n-hexane is one of several C6 isomers in the natural-gasoline stream; specialty-grade n-hexane requires fractional distillation purification to isolate the n-isomer from 2-methylpentane + 3-methylpentane + cyclohexane batch 56 + methylcyclopentane co-products) + completes aliphatic-solvent chain alongside cyclohexane batch 56 (C6 cycle vs C6 chain) + edible oil extraction solvent (~50% of n-hexane consumption, soybean oil + cottonseed oil + canola oil) plus printing inks plus adhesive solvent plus polymerisation solvent (LDPE plus polypropylene) plus gasoline blending plus laboratory solvent downstream chains + moderate hazard profile (Repr. 2 + STOT RE 2 peripheral neuropathy from 2,5-hexanedione metabolite + Asp. Tox. 1 + Flam. Liq. 2 + Skin Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3 + Aquatic Chronic 2 per harmonised CLP entry; verify exact harmonised classification against ECHA Annex VI to CLP Table 3.1 before relying).** n-Hexane is **IARC Group 3 (not classifiable, peripheral neuropathy is the dominant occupational toxicity concern, not carcinogenicity)**. NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin n-hexane currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing).
n-Hexane is fully REACH-registered with **moderate hazard profile** (Repr. 2 + STOT RE 2 peripheral neuropathy from 2,5-hexanedione metabolite + Asp. Tox. 1 + Flam. Liq. 2 + Aquatic Chronic 2; IARC Group 3 not classifiable as to carcinogenicity). NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD. **Production: refinery / steam-cracker C6 fraction; specialty-grade fractional distillation purification**. **Completes aliphatic-solvent chain alongside cyclohexane**. **Edible oil extraction ~50% + adhesives + polymerisation + gasoline blending** downstream chains.
Listing and threshold
| Substance | n-Hexane (CAS 110-54-3), C6H14 |
|---|---|
| Regime | EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals |
| Jurisdiction | European Union (EU-27 plus EEA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) |
| Status | Registered |
| Tonnage threshold | Registration required for any importer or manufacturer placing >1 t/year on the EU market |
Classifications under this regime
- Repr. 2 (suspected of damaging fertility / unborn child) per harmonised CLP entry: H361f (verify against ECHA Annex VI to CLP Table 3.1 before relying)
- STOT RE 2 (specific target organ toxicity, repeated exposure, peripheral nervous system): H373 (peripheral neuropathy from 2,5-hexanedione metabolite is the dominant occupational toxicity concern)
- Asp. Tox. 1 (aspiration toxicity, hydrocarbon): H304
- Flam. Liq. 2: H225
- Skin Irrit. 2: H315
- STOT SE 3: H336 (drowsiness / dizziness)
- Aquatic Chronic 2: H411
- GHS pictograms: GHS02 (flame), GHS07 (exclamation), GHS08 (health hazard), GHS09 (environment)
- IARC Group 3 (not classifiable as to carcinogenicity to humans)
- NOT subject to Drug Precursors or Explosives Precursors scheduling
- ADR / RID: UN 1208, Class 3 PG II (flammable liquid)
Restrictions and conditions of use
- NOT on REACH Annex XIV (verify against ECHA https://echa.europa.eu/authorisation-list)
- NOT classified as SVHC (verify against ECHA https://echa.europa.eu/candidate-list-table)
- NOT subject to any Annex XVII restriction
- NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin n-hexane currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing)
- NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope
Importer obligations
A non-EU producer cannot register directly under REACH. The EU importer of record must hold a registration or rely on an Only Representative (OR). Major Chinese n-hexane producers (typically integrated with refinery / petrochemical complexes; verify each producer-site pair against the producer's public website before relying on a specific plant): Sinopec Maoming, Sinopec Zhenhai, Sinopec Tianjin, CNPC PetroChina Lanzhou, Wanhua Chemical Yantai, Shandong Dongming Petrochemical.
Required documents
- REACH registration number on EU side
- SDS (Repr. 2 + STOT RE 2 peripheral neuropathy + Asp. Tox. 1 + Flam. Liq. 2 + Aquatic Chronic 2 hazard profile)
- Customs entry HS code 290110 (saturated acyclic hydrocarbons, includes n-hexane)
- ADR documentation for UN 1208 Class 3 PG II
- Repr. 2 occupational health surveillance documentation
- Food-grade certifications where placed for edible oil extraction (typically refined to remove residue)
Common compliance traps
The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.
- **Production: light naphtha steam-cracker C6 fraction or refinery raffinate / hydrotreater stream; specialty-grade requires fractional distillation to isolate n-isomer from 2-methylpentane + 3-methylpentane + cyclohexane + methylcyclopentane co-products**
- **Completes aliphatic-solvent chain alongside cyclohexane batch 56** (C6 cycle vs C6 chain)
- Repr. 2 + STOT RE 2 peripheral neuropathy from 2,5-hexanedione metabolite + Asp. Tox. 1 + Flam. Liq. 2 harmonised classification
- IARC Group 3 (not classifiable)
- NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV, NO active EU AD
- **Edible oil extraction solvent ~50% (soybean + cottonseed + canola) + printing inks + adhesives + polymerisation solvent (LDPE + PP) + gasoline blending + lab solvent downstream chains**
- Major Chinese producers: Sinopec Maoming, Sinopec Zhenhai, Sinopec Tianjin, CNPC PetroChina Lanzhou, Wanhua Yantai, Shandong Dongming Petrochemical
Where to read next
For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for n-hexane, see the CAS 110-54-3 sourcing reference.
For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the n-hexane cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.
For the structure and history of REACH, see the REACH glossary entry.
Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.
Read next
Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references
Regulatory
n-Hexane under TSCA
United States of America listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
n-Hexane under IECSC
People's Republic of China listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
n-Hexane under AICIS
Australia listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
n-Hexane under K-REACH
Republic of Korea listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
CAS
CAS 110-54-3 sourcing reference
Identifiers, hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and supplier geography for n-Hexane.
Glossary
REACH, Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
EU chemical regulation requiring importers and manufacturers to register every substance manufactured or imported into the EU above 1 tonne per year. Registration is identity-based and dossier-based, not inventory-lookup-based, which makes it stricter than TSCA in the US.
Referenced in
6 pages across the Sourzi moat
This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages, 1 topic clusters, 1 CAS profiles. Sample backlinks per content type below.
Regulatory (4)
n-Hexane under TSCA
United States of America compliance profile for n-Hexane.
n-Hexane under IECSC
People's Republic of China compliance profile for n-Hexane.
n-Hexane under AICIS
Australia compliance profile for n-Hexane.
Plus 1 more regulatory pages.
Topic cluster (1)
Free download
Free PDF: the same MSDS verification template the Sourzi team uses to cross-reference factory documents against TSCA, REACH, AICIS, and CDR before booking.