6177. Michler's Ketone

Nomenclature

CAS number: 90-94-8
Bis[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]methanone; 4,4′-bis(dimethylamino)benzophenone; tetramethyldiaminobenzophenone.
C17H20N2O; mol wt 268.35.
C 76.09%, H 7.51%, N 10.44%, O 5.96%.

Description and references

Prepn from dimethylaniline + phosgene: Michler, Ber. 9, 716 (1876); Michler, Dupertius, ibid. 1900; from dimethylaniline, AlCl3 and CCl4: Fierz, Koechlin, Helv. Chim. Acta 1, 218 (1918).

Chemical structure

Properties

White to greenish leaflets, mp 172°. bp >360° with decompn. Practically insol in water. Sol in alcohol, warm benzene; very slightly sol in ether.

Caution

This substance is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen: Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition (PB2005-104914, 2004) p III-173.

Use

In manuf of dyes and pigments.