3,3-Dimethyl-1-butyne is a colourless liquid that is soluble in most organic solvents and readily reacts with air. It is a reactive intermediate that can be synthesised from cyclopentene oxide. This molecule possesses an acidic hydrogen atom on the methyl group and a nucleophilic hydrogen atom on the butyl group. The reaction mechanism is believed to involve a nucleophilic attack by the nucleophile on the acidic hydrogen atom, thereby initiating a substitution reaction. The activation energy is relatively low due to the non-polar solvent and polar reactants involved in this process.
3,3-Dimethyl-1-butyne is used as an active pharmaceutical intermediate for terbinafine. It is also used in the preparation of 2,2,7,7-tetramethyl-octa-3,5-diyne. Further, it is used in the synthesis of erythro and threo isomers of B-(3,3-dimethyl-1,2-dideuterio-1-butyl)-9-BBN by hydroboration-deuteronolysis-hydroboration sequence.
3,3-Dimethyl-1-butyne may cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation; is corrosive to skin and is harmful if ingested (may cause lung damage if inhaled).
