What is Acetophenone
Acetophenone is an organic molecule with the formula C6H5COCH3 that is used as an ingredient in fragrances as well as a chemical intermediate in the production of medications, resins, flavoring compounds, and a type of tear gas. It has also been used as a sleep-inducing medication.
The molecule can be produced from benzene and acetyl chloride, however, ethylbenzene is oxidized in air to produce it economically.
Pure acetophenone has a melting point of 20.2 ° C. (68.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and a boiling point of 202.4 degrees Celsius (396.3 degrees Fahrenheit), and it is a colorless liquid at room temperature. It is barely soluble in water, but it dissolves readily in ethanol (ethyl alcohol), diethyl ether, and chloroform.
Structure of Acetophenone
General Properties of Acetophenone
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C8H8O |
| Molar mass | 120.151 g·mol−1 |
| Density | 1.028 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 19–20 °C (66–68 °F; 292–293 K) |
| Boiling point | 202 °C (396 °F; 475 K) |
| Solubility in water | 5.5 g/L at 25 °C12.2 g/L at 80 °C |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -72.05·10−6 cm3/mol |
Acetophenone Production
The cumene method, the industrial route for synthesizing phenol and acetone, generates acetophenone as a byproduct. When the methyl group instead of the phenyl group migrates during the Hock rearrangement of isopropylbenzene hydroperoxide, the resulting intermediate is acetophenone and methanol.
C6H5C(CH3)2O2H → C6H5C(O)CH3 + CH3OH
The cumene process is carried out on such a big scale that even a minor amount of acetophenone byproduct can be recovered in commercially valuable proportions.
Acetophenone Molecular Formula
The molecular formula of acetophenone is C8H8O or C6H5COCH3
Acetophenone IUPAC Name
1-Phenylethan-1-one or 1-phenylethanone
Other Synonyms name
- ACETOPHENONE
- Phenylethanone
- Methyl phenyl ketone
- Acetylbenzene
Uses of Acetophenone
- In perfumery, acetophenone is used as a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, creams, lotions, and perfumes; as a flavoring agent in foods, nonalcoholic beverages, and tobacco; as a specialty solvent for plastics and resins; as a catalyst for the polymerization of olefins; and as a photosensitizer in organic synthesis.
- It’s a component in chewing gum.
- Numerous medications are produced utilizing acetophenone.
Frequently Asked Questions-FAQs
Q.1 What is Acetophenone
Acetophenone is an organic molecule with the formula C6H5COCH3 that is used as an ingredient in fragrances as well as a chemical intermediate in the production of medications, resins, flavoring compounds, and a type of tear gas. It has also been used as a sleep-inducing medication.
Q.2 What is acetophenone used for?
Acetophenone is a component in chewing gum and some tobacco products. As a specialized solvent for plastics and resins, as a catalyst for polymerization of olefins, and as a photosensitizer in organic synthesis, acetophenone has several industrial applications.
Q.3 Is acetophenone a drug?
The organic compound acetophenone (C6H5COCH3) is used in perfumes and as a chemical intermediary in the production of medicines, resins, flavoring compounds, and tear gas.
It has also been used as a sleep-inducing medication.
Q.4 Why is it named acetophenone?
Because acetophenone is such a simple ketone, it does not adhere to traditional IUPAC naming conventions. Instead, it is known by its common name, acetophenone. The correct IUPAC designation is 1-phenylethanone.
Q.5 Is acetophenone harmful?
An overdose of acetaminophen can cause liver damage, possibly necessitating a liver transplant or even death. The body breaks down the majority of an average dose of acetaminophen and excretes it in the urine. However, some of the medication is transformed into a liver-toxic byproduct.
Q.6 Is acetophenone water-soluble?
The water solubility of acetophenone at 25°C is between 6100 and 6300 mg/L, according to the available experimental data and information from handbooks examined by experts.
The solubility of acetophenone in alcohol, chloroform, ether, fatty oils, and glycerol is unrestricted.
