2114. Chloroacetone

Nomenclature

CAS number: 78-95-5
1-Chloro-2-propanone; chloracetone; monochloroacetone; monochloracetone; acetonyl chloride; chloropropanone; 1-chloro-2-ketopropane; 1-chloro-2-oxopropane.
C3H5ClO; mol wt 92.52.
C 38.95%, H 5.45%, Cl 38.32%, O 17.29%.

Description and references

Prepn by the action of chlorine upon diketene: A. B. Boese, Jr., US 2209683 (1940 to Carbide and Carbon Chem.); by chlorination of acetone: E. J. Rahrs, US 2235562 (1941 to Eastman Kodak); G. H. Morey, US 2243484 (1941 to Commercial Solvents Corp.). Stabilization: idem, US 2229651 (1941 to Commercial Solvents Corp.); E. J. Rahrs, US 2263010 (1941 to Eastman Kodak). Forms binary azeotropes with many organic liquids: L. H. Horsley, Azeotropic Data, Advances in Chemistry Series No. 6 (Washington, 1952) p 73. Reacts with aryl Grignard reagents to form stilbenes: Huang, J. Chem. Soc. 1954, 2539. Toxicology: E. V. Sargent et al., Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 47, 375 (1986).

Chemical structure

Properties

Liquid. Pungent odor. Lacrimator. Turns dark and resinifies on prolonged exposure to light. May be stabilized by addition of 0.1% H2O or 1.0% CaCO3. d425 1.123; d415 1.135. mp -44.5°. bp 119.7°, bp50 61°, bp12 20°. Volatile with steam. Surface tension at 20° = 35.27 dyn/cm. Poisonous, flammable, corrosive. Dipole moment in hexane, 2.36D. Sol in 10 parts water (w/w). Miscible with alcohol, ether, chloroform. LD50 (14 day) in mice, rats (mg/kg): 127, 100 orally; LC50 (1 hr) in rats (ppm): 262 by inhalation (Sargent).

Derivative

2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazone.

Properties

Yellow needles from alc, mp 124°.

Caution

Intensely irritating to eyes, skin, mucous membranes.

Use

Has been proposed as tear gas component for police and military use; in the manuf of couplers for color photography; as enzyme inactivator; intermediate in the manuf of perfumes, antioxidants, drugs; in insecticide formulations; in photopolymerization of vinyl compds. Proposed as catalyst in tetraethyllead production, as selective solvent for separating diolefins.