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IPBC (Fighting fungus)

By moleculeoftheday on November 1, 2006.

Iodine week continues with IPBC, or 3-iodo-2-propynyl-N-butylcarbamate, a fungicide:

IPBC: InChI=1/C8H12INO2/c1-2-3-6-10-8(11)12-7-4-5-9/h2-3,6-7H2,1H3,(H,10,11)

IPBC has been around for ages, but you see it more and more in cosmetic products. That "iodopropynyl" part, where the iodine is bound to the triply-bonded carbon, is a very reactive functional group. IPBC has been implicated as a cause of dermatitis (but fairly rarely).

Certain compounds can induce an immune reaction after repeated exposure. These are called sensitizers. At the levels you find them in consumer products, the worst you're likely to get is a rash (although not always). In the lab, we're usually exposed to the compounds neat, or undiluted.

Because of this, compounds that are sensitizers can really affect a chemist's quality of life over the years. Compounds that were once benign can induce coughing or sneezing fits (or basically anything along the immune-response spectrum). Sometimes, a sensitizer can induce cross-sensitivity to other, related compounds - leaving you in the unique position of being allergic to something you need to get your job done.

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