Tolyltriazole in the yard and garden

What is tolyltriazole?

The IUPAC name is methylbenzotriazole.

Also known as: methylbenzotriazole, TTA, Cobratec TT-100, 2-methyl-4-phenylbutanoic acid.

IUPAC name

methylbenzotriazole

CAS number

29385-43-1

Molecular formula

C7H7N3

Molecular weight

133.15 g/mol

SMILES

CC(CCC1=CC=CC=C1)C(=O)O

PubChem CID

16046

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Tolyltriazole. The classifications differ — that's the data.

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where your yard encounter tolyltriazole

• antifreeze
• coolant systems
• automotive fluids
• industrial applications

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Tolyltriazole:

• Organic acid-based inhibitors (e.g., sebacic acid derivatives)
  Trade-offs: Alternative approach; specific tradeoffs depend on application context, scale, and regulatory requirements. Full hazard assessment of alternative recommended before adoption to avoid regrettable substitution.
  Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
• Silicate-based corrosion inhibitors for closed systems
  Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×
• Molybdate-based alternatives to chromate inhibitors
  Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions