Mace is the brand name of an early type of aerosol self-defense spray invented by Alan Lee Litman in the 1960s.
The first commercial product of its type, Litman's design packaged phenacyl chloride (CN) tear gas dissolved in hydrocarbon solvents into a small aerosol spray can,[1] usable in many environments and strong enough to act as a deterrent and incapacitant when sprayed in the face.
[7][8][9][10] Historically, "chemical mace" was the development of irritant with the active ingredient called phenacyl chloride (CN) to incapacitate others whereas the term "Mace" is a trademarked term for use on personal defense sprays.
[11] Though the design has been expanded on, the original chemical mace formula using only CN has since been discontinued.
Due to the potentially toxic nature of CN and the generally superior incapacitating qualities of oleoresin capsicum (OC) pepper spray in most situations, the early CN has been mostly supplanted by OC formulas in police use, although Mace Security International still retains a popular "Triple Action" formula combining CN, OC and an ultraviolet marker dye.