General Description
A clear colorless liquid. Flash point 47°F. Less dense than water. Vapors heavier than air. Toxic oxides of nitrogen produced during combustion.
Reactivity Profile
ISOBUTYRONITRILE(78-82-0) is incompatible with the following: Oxidizers, reducing agents, strong acids & bases .
Air & Water Reactions
Highly flammable. Slightly soluble in water.
Hazard
Toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and skin
absorption.
Health Hazard
Poisonous; may be fatal if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through skin. Contact may cause burns to skin and eyes. (Non-Specific--Nitriles) Primarily, they are skin and eye irritants. Large doses cause collapse and stop breathing.
Fire Hazard
Vapor may explode if ignited in an enclosed area. Toxic oxides of nitrogen are produced during combustion. ISOBUTYRONITRILE is a flammable/combustible material and may be ignited by heat, sparks, or flames. Vapors may travel to a source of ignition and flash back. Container may explode in heat of fire. Vapor explosion and poison hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers. Runoff to sewer may create fire or explosion hazard. Hazardous polymerization may not occur.
Chemical Properties
colourless liquid
Uses
Isobutyronitrile can be derived from isobutyraldehyde and is
used in organic synthesis and as a gasoline additive.
Uses
Used in the synthesis of gasoline additives, as a catalyst in the production of polyethylene.
Definition
ChEBI: Isobutyronitrile is an aliphatic nitrile that is acetonitrile in which two of the hydrogens have been replaced by methyl groups. It has a role as a polar aprotic solvent. It is an aliphatic nitrile and a volatile organic compound.
Production Methods
Isobutyronitrile is prepared from isobutyraldehyde by cyanation with ammonia.
Industrial uses
Isobutyronitrile is used in organic synthesis, as a catalyst in the polymerization of
ethylene and in the petroleum industry as a gasoline additive.
Metabolism
Thiocyanate was present in the urine of rats dosed orally with isobutyronitrile.
Purification Methods
Shake the nitrile with conc HCl (to remove isonitriles), then with water and aqueous NaHCO3. After a preliminary drying with silica gel or Linde type 4A molecular sieves, it is shaken or stirred with CaH2 until hydrogen evolution ceases, then decanted and distilled from P2O5 (not more than 5g/L, to minimize gel formation) or Drierite (b 101-103o/760mm). Finally it is refluxed with, and slowly distilled from CaH2 (5g/L), taking precautions to exclude moisture. [Beilstein 2 H 294, 2 I 129, 2 II 263, 2 III 655, 2 IV 853.]
