Acetonitrile,CAS 75-05-8

Acetonitrile (methyl cyanide), CH3CN, is a colorless liquid with a sweet, ethereal odor. It is completely miscible with water and its high dielectric strength and dipole moment make it an excellent solvent for both inorganic and organic compounds including polymers. Acetonitrile is a colorless liquid with an ether-like odor and a polar solvent. It is the simplest organic nitrile and is widely used. It is a by-product of the manufacture of acrylonitrile, and acetonitrile has, in fact, replaced

Acetonitrile is the chemical compound with the formula CH 3CN. This colourless liquid is the simplest organic nitrile (hydrogen cyanide is a simpler nitrile, but the cyanide anion is not classed as organic). It is produced mainly as a byproduct of acrylonitrile manufacture. It is used as a polar aprotic solvent in organic synthesis and in the purification of butadiene.

Acetonitrile Use and Manufacturing
Methods of Manufacturing
Acetonitrile is usually a by-product of the preparation of acrylonitrile by ammoxidation. It can also be prepared by the one-step synthesis at 360°C with acetic acid ammoniation using alumina trioxide as a catalyst. Reaction equation: CH3COOH+NH3[Al2O3]→CH3CN+2H2O

Uses
In organic synthesis as starting material for acetophenone, a-naphthaleneacetic acid, thiamine, acetamidine. To remove tars, phenols, and coloring matter from petroleum hydrocarbons which are not soluble in acetonitrile.To extract fatty acids from fish liver oils and other animal and vegetable oils.Can be used to recrystallize steroids.As an indifferent medium in physicochemical investigations.Wherever a polar solvent having a rather high dielectric constant is required.As medium for promoting reactions involving ionization.As a solvent in non-aqueous titrations.As a non-aqueous solvent for inorganic salts.