Denatonium Benzoate

Denatonium Benzoate is the leading bitterant safety additive for household, automotive and garden products worldwide. Consumers recognize Bitrex for its added safety as a taste aversive. The Bitrex Trademark Program is valued by manufacturers for its marketing, technical and regulatory support services. Marketers and retailers recognize the simple concept: "safety sells."
He bitterness of the compound guides most applications of denatonium. Denatonium benzoate is used to denature ethanol so that it is not taxed as an alcoholic beverage. One designation in particular, SD-40B, indicates that ethanol has been denatured using denatonium benzoate. The common name for this chemical, denatonium, alludes to this application.
Denatonium also discourages consumption of harmful alcohols like methyl alcohol and ethylene glycol. Denatonium is also used in rubbing alcohol as an inactive ingredient. It is also added to all kinds of harmful liquids including solvents, paints, varnishes, toiletries, and other household products. Denatonium is a quaternary ammonium cation. It is a compound of a salt with an inert anion like benzoate or saccharide. The structure of denatonium is related to the local anesthetic lidocaine, differing only by the addition of a benzyl group to the amino nitrogen.