Acetonitrile (ACN) Solvent Preparation
Acrylonitrile can be obtained as a byproduct through manufacturing or synthesized via hydrogenation of carbon monoxide mixtures or dehydration of acetamide and ammonia. An alternate method for preparing pure Acetonitrile consists of two steps: neutralizing acetic acid and ammonia to create ammonium acetate, then mixing an aqueous solution of this compound with gaseous ammonia, preheating the mixture, and passing it through a fixed bed reactor filled with a sizeable aluminum oxide catalyst for the reaction. Once the Acetonitrile is created in gas form, it must be refined continuously to render it in its purest form.
Acetonitrile Chemical Properties
Chemical properties of acetonitrile: colorless transparent liquid, with a strange fragrance similar to ether. It is miscible with water, methanol, methyl acetate, acetone, ether, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and vinyl chloride.
Acetonitrile is a stable compound, which is not easy to be oxidized or reduced, but there is a three bond between carbon and nitrogen, which is prone to addition reactions, such as addition with hydrogen halide, addition with hydrogen sulfide, addition with alcohol and addition with acid or anhydride in the presence of inorganic acid.
- Hydrolyze in the presence of acid or base to produce amide and further hydrolyze to acid:
- Reduce to ethylamine.
- Reacting with Grignard reagent, the product is hydrolyzed to ketone.
- Acetonitrile can react with sodium metal, sodium alcohol or sodium amino.
acetonitrile physical properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Molecular Weight | 41.05 g/mol |
| Boiling Point | 81.60 °C |
| Freezing Point | −43.8 °C |
| Vapor Pressure | 88.8 Torr at 25 °C |
| Density (20 °C) | 0.7822 g/mL (6.527 lb/gal) |
| Density (25 °C) | 0.7766 g/mL (6.481 lb/gal) |
| Refractive Index | 1.3441 at 20 °C |
| Dielectric Constant | 37.5 at 20 °C |
| Dipole Moment | 3.44 D at 20 °C |
| Solvent Group | 6 |
| Polarity Index (P′) | 5.8 |
| Eluotropic Value (Alumina) | 0.65 |
| Eluotropic Value (Octadecylsilane, C18) | 3.1 |
| Eluotropic Value (Silica) | 0.52 |
| Viscosity | 0.38 cP at 15 °C |
| Surface Tension | 19.10 dyn/cm at 20 °C |
| Solubility in Water | Miscible in all proportions |
What type of solvent is ACN?
Acetonitrile or methyl cyanide is a highly volatile, aprotic polar organic solvent.
Acetonitrile (CAS 75-05-8), as a polar organic solvent, has extensive applications. Below are several common application areas:
Chemical Synthesis
Acetonitrile serves as a common solvent and dehydrating agent in numerous organic synthesis reactions.
Pharmaceuticals
Acetonitrile is a widely used solvent in the pharmaceutical industry, employed in the production of antibiotics, hormones, vitamins, drug intermediates, and more.
Metal Surface Treatment
During metal surface processing, acetonitrile forms complexes with impurity ions in metals, facilitating the removal of surface contaminants and pollutants.
Other Applications
Acetonitrile also serves as a solvent or reaction intermediate for dyes, coatings, plastics, rubber, textiles, and more. Additionally, it is used for sample pretreatment in instrumental analyses such as gas chromatography, NMR, and infrared spectroscopy.
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Advantages
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