DEFINITION

Benzalkonium Chloride is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides of the general formula: [C₆H₅CH₂N(CH₃)₂R]Clin which R represents a mixture of alkyls, including all or some of the group beginning with n-C₈H₁₇ and extending through higher homologs, with n-C₁₂H₂₅, n-C₁₄H₂₉, and n-C₁₆H₃₃ composing the major portion. On the anhydrous basis, the content of the n-C₁₂H₂₅ homolog is NLT 40.0%, and the content of the n-C₁₄H₂₉ homolog is NLT 20.0% of the total alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride content. The amount of the n-C₁₂H₂₅ and n-C₁₄H₂₉ homolog components together is NLT 70.0% of the total alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride content. The total alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride content, calculated on the anhydrous basis, with allowance made for the amount of residue on ignition, is NLT 97.0% and NMT 103.0% of [C₆H₅CH₂N(CH₃)₂R]Cl.