Methyl nitrite

Salpetrigsäuremethylester

Colorless gas

Gaseous

0.991 g · cm -3

-40.2 ° C

-6.42 ° C

Very slightly soluble

-66.1 KJ / mol

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At room temperature, methyl nitrite, the nitrite of the methanol is a colorless, highly flammable and poisonous gas. It is the alkyl nitrite with the simplest structure.

Representation

Methyl nitrite is formed when exposure to cold dilute sulfuric acid to a water-methanol solution of sodium nitrite. Methyl nitrite may also be prepared by reaction of silver nitrate with iodomethane.

Another production possibility is the addition of a mixture of nitrosyl sulfuric acid and sulfuric acid in aqueous methanol.

Properties

Methyl nitrite has a melting point of -40.2 ° C and a boiling point of -6.42 ° C. In the older literature, this -16 ° C ( m.p. ) and -12 ° C (bp ) are indicated. The vapor pressure function is given by August according lg ( P) = -A / T B (P in Torr, T in K) with A = 1365 and B = 8.102 in the temperature range of 154 K to 225 K. From the vapor pressure function can be a molar enthalpy of vaporization of 26.15 kJ · mol -1 derived. As is usual with alkyl nitrites formed by the action of nascent hydrogen in the compound of methanol, ammonia and water.

Structure

At room temperature, it is methyl nitrite from a mixture of the cis and the trans- conformers. The cis conformers is 3.13 kJ · mol -1 more stable than the trans form. The energy barrier for the internal rotation is 45.3 kJ · mol -1.

Explosion limits

• Lower explosion limit: 5.3 vol - %, 137 g/m3
• Upper explosion limit: 100 vol - % Upper Explosive Limit is non-existent, since The substance decomposes.

Use

For nitrosations in organic synthesis, for example to display Isonitrosopropiophenon.