| Chemical Properties |
colourless liquid with a characteristic smell |
| Uses |
Solvent, manufacture of chlorinated derivatives, blowing agent for polystyrene. |
| Definition |
ChEBI: An alkane that is butane substituted by a methyl group at position 2. |
| General Description |
Watery colorless liquid with a gasoline-like odor. Floats on water. Flammable, irritating vapor is produced. Boiling point is 82°F. |
| Air & Water Reactions |
Highly flammable. Insoluble in water. |
| Reactivity Profile |
2-Methylbutane is a fire and explosion hazard when in contact with oxidizing agents. . |
| Hazard |
Highly flammable, dangerous fire risk. |
| Health Hazard |
Inhalation causes irritation of respiratory tract, cough, mild depression, irregular heartbeat. Aspiration causes severe lung irritation, coughing, pulmonary edema; excitement followed by depression. Ingestion causes nausea, vomiting, swelling of abdomen, headache, depression. |
| Fire Hazard |
Behavior in Fire: Highly volatile liquid. Vapors may explode when mixed with air. |
| Safety Profile |
Mddly toxic and narcotic by inhalation. See also PENTANE. Flammable liquid. A very dangerous fire and explosion hazard when exposed to heat, flame, or oxidzers. Keep away from sparks, heat, or open flame; can react with oxidizing materials. To fight fire, use foam, CO2, dry chemical. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes. |
| Purification Methods |
Stir isopentane for several hours in the cold with conc H2SO4 (to remove olefinic impurities), then wash it with H2O, aqueous Na2CO3 and H2O again. Dry it with MgSO4 and fractionally distil it using a Todd column packed with glass helices. Material transparent down to 180nm is obtained by distilling from sodium wire, and passing through a column of silica gel which had previously been dried in place at 350o for 12hours before use. [Potts J Phys Chem 20 809 1952, Beilstein 1 IV 320.] |
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