Acetonitrile

Acetonitrile

What Is Acetonitrile?

Acetonitrile is the simplest organic nitrile. This colorless and polar aprotic solvent is used for organic synthesis and purifications, and to extract fatty acids from oils.

Acetonitrile was first prepared in 1847 by Jean-Baptiste Dumas. In the laboratory, it is commonly used as a medium-polarity solvent. It is miscible with water and some organic solvents, but not with saturated hydrocarbons.

It is popular in cyclic voltammetry, and its ultraviolet transparency, low viscosity, and low chemical reactivity are useful for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Because it dissolves a range of ionic and nonpolar compounds, acetonitrile serves as a mobile phase solvent in HPLC and LC–MS. It is also the main solvent used to make DNA oligonucleotides from monomers.

Acetonitrile is modestly toxic in small doses. Cases of acetonitrile/cyanide poisoning are rare but can occur by inhalation, ingestion, or skin exposure. Symptoms, which may not appear for several hours after exposure, include respiratory issues, slow pulse rate, nausea, and vomiting. Convulsions and coma can occur and death from respiratory failure may follow.

Synonyms: Methyl cyanide, ethanenitrile (IUPAC name), cyanomethane, ethyl nitrile, methane carbonitrile, MeCN

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Physical and Chemical Properties

PropertyValue  

Property

Molecular Weight
Value
41.05 g/mol
 
 
 
 

Property

Molar Mass
Value
41.053 g/mol
 
 
 
 

Property

Density
Value
0.786 g/mL at 25ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Boiling Point
Value
81 to 82ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Melting Point
Value
-48ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Flash Point
Value
5.5ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Viscosity
Value
0.369 cP at 25ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Dielectric Constant
Value
36.64 at 20ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Dipole Moment
Value
36.64 at 20ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

UV Cutoff
Value
190 nm
 
 
 
 

Property

Refractive Index
Value
1.344 at 20ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Vapor Pressure
Value
72.8 mm Hg (20ºC)
 
 
 
 

Property

Water Solubility
Value
24.36 M
 
 
 
 

Property

Heat of Combustion
Value
31.03 x 106 J/kg at 25ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Heat of Vaporization
Value
72.7 x 104 J/kg at 80ºC
 
 
 
 

Property

Dissociation Constants
Value
pKa = -4.30 (conjugate acid)
 
 
 
 

Property

Surface Tension
Value
29.04 dyn/cm at 20ºC
 
 
 
 

Uses

Acetonitrile is used as a solvent for the production of pharmaceuticals and photographic film. It is also used to make perfumes, rubber products, pesticides, acrylic nail removers, and batteries.

Designations and Grades

PropertyValue  

Property

CAS Number
Value
75-05-8
 
 
 
 

Property

MDL Number
Value
MFCD00001878
 
 
 
 

Property

RIDAD /UN Number
Value
UN 1648 3/PG 2
 
 
 
 

Property

Beilstein Registry
Value
741857
 
 
 
 

Property

EG/EC Number
Value
2008352
 
 
 
 

Grades

ACS, ACS Reagent, Certified ACS

Anhydrous/Dry/Extra Dry

Biochemical

Electronic/Semiconductor

GC, Capillary GC

GC Gradient

GC/Pesticide Residue

Histological

HPLC Gradient

HPLC/UHPLC

Laboratory/Technical

LC-MS, Ultra LC-MS

Low Water

Mobile Phase

NF/USP

Purge and Trap

Sequencing

Spectrophotometry

Solvent Blends

Trace Metals

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