A salt of phthalic acid.

Phthalates, or phthalate esters, are manufactured by the reaction of phthalic anhydride with one of a variety of alcohols ranging from methanol to tridecanol. They are predominantly used as plasticisers to soften the popular plastic PVC and to a lesser extent in non-PVC applications such as paints, rubber products, adhesives and some cosmetics.

Phthalates, or phthalate esters are manufactured from methanol and are used as plasticisers to soften the plastic. They are also used in other non-PVC applications like paints, rubber products, adhesives and some cosmetics.