Propionitrile

• Ethylcyanid
• Propionitrile
• Propansäurenitril
• Cyanoethan

Colorless liquid with ethereal odor

Liquid

0.78 g · cm -3 ( at 20 ° C)

-92 ° C

97 ° C

49 hPa ( 20 ° C)

Moderately in water ( 103 g · l-1 at 25 ° C)

1.3655 (20 ° C)

Risk

40-56 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, Rabbit, transdermal)

15.5 kJ / mol

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Propionitrile is a chemical compound selected from the group of the nitriles.

Properties

Propionitrile is a colorless, highly soluble in water liquid with a characteristic odor. It is highly flammable and the vapors form explosive mixtures with air ( 3:1-14 %). At high temperatures, propionitrile decomposed among other things, hydrogen cyanide and various nitrogen oxides.

Use

Propionitrile is well suited for the further reaction via hydrolysis to propionamide and further to propionic acid, or reduction to propylamine.

Production

Propionitrile is usually produced via the Kolbe- nitrile, wherein in this case Ethanhalogenide ( -Cl,- Br,- I), with alkali metal cyanides in polar, aprotic solvents (DMSO, acetone) are reacted. Because it is the cyanide used is an Ambident nucleophile Propionisonitril additionally formed. The ratio of nitrile to isonitrile is dependent on the type of reaction and the reaction conditions.

Other synthetic routes can be followed for propionitrile with air in the presence of ammonia with the hydrocyanation and in general to the catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons. In the case of propionitrile latter method initially leads only to acrylonitrile.