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271004

Sigma-Aldrich

Acetonitrile

99.8%, anhydrous, suitable for solid phase extraction (SPE)

Synonym(s):

ACN, Cyanomethane, Ethyl nitrile, Methyl cyanide

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About This Item

Linear Formula:
CH3CN
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
41.05
Beilstein:
741857
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12191502
eCl@ss:
39031501
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.21

product name

Acetonitrile, anhydrous, 99.8%

grade

anhydrous

Quality Level

vapor density

1.41 (vs air)

vapor pressure

72.8 mmHg ( 20 °C)

Assay

99.8%

form

liquid

autoignition temp.

973 °F

expl. lim.

16 %

technique(s)

solid phase extraction (SPE): suitable

impurities

<0.001% water
<0.005% water (100 mL pkg)

evapn. residue

<0.0005%

color

colorless

refractive index

n20/D 1.344 (lit.)

bp

81-82 °C (lit.)

mp

−45 °C (lit.)

solubility

water: soluble (completely)

density

0.786 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.)

format

neat

SMILES string

CC#N

InChI

1S/C2H3N/c1-2-3/h1H3

InChI key

WEVYAHXRMPXWCK-UHFFFAOYSA-N

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General description

Acetonitrile, an aliphatic nitrile, is widely used as an organic solvent and intermediate in organic syntheses. It is transparent to UV-visible light, which makes it highly applicable in spectrophotometric and fluorimetric techniques. MeCN is utilized as a mobile phase component in many chromatographic techniques, due to its low viscosity, high elution strength and miscibility in water. It also plays a major role as an extractant medium in liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction or microextraction.

Application

Acetonitrile may be used as a solvent to prepare:
  • 1,2-Azidoalcohols and 1,2-azidoamines via cerium(III) chloride assisted ring opening of epoxides and aziridines by sodium azide.
  • Cyano-bearing indolinones by oxidative arylalkylation of olefins in the presence of palladium catalyst.

It may also be used as a reactant to synthesize:
  • Bis (diphenylphosphino) acetonitrile by reacting with n-butyllithium and then with chlorodiphenylphosphine.
  • β-Acetamido ketones via coupling reaction with ketones or ketoesters and aldehydes in the presence of cobalt(II) chloride.

Pictograms

FlameExclamation mark

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 4 Dermal - Acute Tox. 4 Inhalation - Acute Tox. 4 Oral - Eye Irrit. 2 - Flam. Liq. 2

Storage Class Code

3 - Flammable liquids

WGK

WGK 2

Flash Point(F)

35.6 °F - closed cup

Flash Point(C)

2.0 °C - closed cup

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

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Bis (diphenylphosphino) acetonitrile: Synthesis, ligand properties and application in catalytic carbon?carbon coupling
Braun L, et al.
Dalton Transactions, 14, 1409-1415 (2007)
Cobalt-catalysed three-component coupling involving ketones or ketoesters, aldehydes and acetonitrile: a novel one-pot synthesis of ?-acetamido ketones
Madhavaa Reddy M.
Journal of the Chemical Society. Chemical Communications, 6, 713-714 (1994)
Eagleson M.
Concise Encyclopedia Chemistry, 56-56 (1994)
Cerium (III) chloride promoted highly regioselective ring opening of epoxides and aziridines using NaN3 in acetonitrile: a facile synthesis of 1,2-azidoalcohols and 1,2-azidoamines.
Sabitha G, et al.
Organic Letters, 4(3), 343-345 (2002)
Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Arylalkylation of Activated Alkenes: Dual C-H Bond Cleavage of an Arene and Acetonitrile.
Wu T, et al.
Angewandte Chemie (International Edition in English), 50(52), 12578-12581 (2011)

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