5156. Isobutyronitrile

Nomenclature

CAS number: 78-82-0
2-Methylpropanenitrile; 2-cyanopropane; dimethylacetonitrile; isopropyl cyanide.
C4H7N; mol wt 69.11.
C 69.52%, H 10.21%, N 20.27%.

Description and references

Prepn: E. A. Letts, Ber. 5, 669 (1872); A. E. Arbusow, ibid. 43, 2296 (1910); R. E. Kent et al., Org. Synth. coll. vol. III, 493 (1955); A. Ahmad, Synthesis 1976, 418. Acute toxicity and human industrial experience: H. Zeller et al., Zentralbl. Arbeitsmed. Arbeitsschutz 19, 225 (1969), C.A. 71, 128340 (1969). Acute toxicity and metabolism: H. Tanii, K. Hashimoto, Arch. Toxicol. 55, 47 (1984).

Chemical structure

Properties

Colorless liquid. bp740 99-102°. bp 101-103° (Kent); also reported as bp 103-103.5° (Arbusow), bp 104° (Ahmad), bp 107-108° (Letts). d016.25 0.7731. nD25 1.3713. Flammable, poisonous. Log P (n-octanol/water): 0.46. LD50 (mg/kg): 25 i.p. in mice; 200 orally in rats (Zeller). LD50 orally in male mice: 0.3652 mmol/kg (Tanii).

Caution

Potential symptoms of overexposure are irritation of eyes, skin, nose, throat; headache, dizziness, weakness, giddiness, confusion, convulsions; dyspnea; abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p 178.

Use

Solvent.