Baby Safety / Compounds / 4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA)

Is 4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) safe for babies and kids?

Severe risk for kids

Infants may be exposed to 4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) through residual monomer migration from food-contact plastics, bottles, and packaging. Immature hepatic conjugation and renal clearance prolong internal exposure.

What is 4,4'-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (moca)?

The IUPAC name is 4-[(4-amino-3-chlorophenyl)methyl]-2-chloroaniline.

Also known as: 4-[(4-amino-3-chlorophenyl)methyl]-2-chloroaniline, 4,4'-METHYLENEBIS(2-CHLOROANILINE), MOCA, Bisamine.

IUPAC name: 4-[(4-amino-3-chlorophenyl)methyl]-2-chloroaniline
CAS number: 101-14-4
Molecular formula: C13H12Cl2N2
Molecular weight: 267.15 g/mol
SMILES: C1=CC(=C(C=C1CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)N)Cl)Cl)N
PubChem CID: 7543

Risk for babies

Severe risk

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Prenatal exposure to residual 4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) from food-contact materials is a concern due to potential developmental toxicity. Monomers may leach from plastics at elevated temperatures.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

11 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified 4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA). The classifications differ — that's the data.

Agency	Year	Classification
IARC	1993	Group 2A
US EPA	1988	probable human carcinogen
EPA CTX / NTP RoC	—	Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / IARC	—	Group 1 - Carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / CalEPA	—	Known human carcinogen
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 15 positive / 2 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 15 positive / 2 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Eye Irritation: Category 2B (score: moderate)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	eye irritation: in vivo: Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	skin sensitisation: in vivo (LLNA): Not likely to be sensitizing (score: low)

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 kids encounter 4,4'-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (moca)

Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to 4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA):

Bio-based polymer alternatives where available
Trade-offs: Performance limitations. End-of-life complexity.

Relative cost: 2-5×

Frequently asked questions

Is 4,4'-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (moca) safe for kids?

What products contain 4,4'-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (moca)?

4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

What should I do if my child is exposed to 4,4'-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (moca)?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Why do regulators disagree about 4,4'-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (moca)?

4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) has been classified by 11 agencies including IARC, US EPA, EPA CTX / NTP RoC, EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / CalEPA, with differing conclusions. 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. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See 4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) in the baby app

Look up products containing 4,4'-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (moca), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)

IARC Monographs Volume 57: MOCA (4,4'-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline)) — Group 2A; Bladder Carcinomas in Dogs; Multiple Rodent Tumors; Polyurethane Curing Worker Data; Dermal Absorption (1993) — iarc_monograph
NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin: MOCA — Occupational Carcinogen; Urinary Biomonitoring; Dermal Absorption Route; Polyurethane Industry Controls; Lowest Feasible Concentration REL (1980) — regulatory
ATSDR Toxicological Profile: 4,4'-Methylenedianiline and MOCA — Carcinogenicity, Hepatotoxicity, Aromatic Amine Mechanism, Occupational Exposure Assessment (1994) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →