Acetonitrile

Acetonitrile, also known as MeCN (methyl cyanide) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula H3CCN. It is the simplest of the nitriles, organic compounds with a triple bond between carbon and nitrogen. Acetonitrile is a clear liquid. It is used mostly as a solvent.

Uses

Acetonitrile is mostly used in chromatography. It is also used as a solvent to make pharmaceuticals and to purify butadiene.[1]

Production

Acetonitrile is not made in large quantities as a primary product. Instead, it is a byproduct of the production of acrylonitrile from ammoxidation of propylene. Acrylonitrile is an ingredient in important plastics like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Large amounts of acrylonitrile are made for plastics, which also means large amounts of the acetonitrile byproduct are available for chemical use.[2]

Safety

Acetonitrile is flammable, and can cause severe health problems if in contact.

Sources

  1. ↑ Tullo, Alex (2008). "A Solvent Dries up". Chemical & Engineering News Archive. 86 (47): 27. doi:10.1021/cen-v086n047.p027.
  2. ↑ Derek Lowe (2024-07-31). "The Acetonitrile Olympics". In The Pipeline. Science.org. Retrieved 2025-09-15.

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