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Key Documents

30603

Sigma-Aldrich

Potassium hydroxide

pellets, reag. Ph. Eur., ≥85%

Synonym(s):

Caustic potash

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About This Item

Linear Formula:
KOH
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
56.11
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352106
eCl@ss:
38100303
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.21

Agency

USP/NF
reag. Ph. Eur.

vapor pressure

1 mmHg ( 719 °C)

Assay

≥85%

form

pellets

impurities

≤2.0% K2CO3

pH

~13.5 (25 °C, 5.6 g/L)

mp

361 °C (lit.)

anion traces

chloride (Cl-): ≤0.02%
phosphate (PO43-): ≤0.01%
sulfate (SO42-): ≤0.02%

cation traces

Al: ≤0.001%
Ca: ≤0.001%
Fe: ≤0.001%
Na: ≤1.0%
Ni: ≤0.0005%

SMILES string

[OH-].[K+]

InChI

1S/K.H2O/h;1H2/q+1;/p-1

InChI key

KWYUFKZDYYNOTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M

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General description

Potassium hydroxide is a strong alkali that can be used in nucleophilic substitution reactions, addition reactions, and basic hydrolysis reactions. It can also be used to catalyze aldol-type reactions.

Application

Potassium hydroxide can be used as a base:
  • In the Pd-catalyzed Heck reaction of aryl halides with alkenes.
  • To synthesize β-alkylated alcohols via pincer-Ni catalyzed Guerbet reaction.
  • For the hydroxylation of aryl or heteroarylboronic acids to corresponding phenols.
It can also be used as a catalyst for the:
  • Transesterification of triglycerides to prepare biodiesels.
  • Synthesis of β-phenylethylamines via intermolecular addition of arylamines to styrenes.
  • Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction to synthesize chalcones.

Packaging

This product is also available in glass bottles.

Pictograms

CorrosionExclamation mark

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Statements

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 4 Oral - Eye Dam. 1 - Met. Corr. 1 - Skin Corr. 1A

Storage Class Code

8A - Combustible corrosive hazardous materials

WGK

WGK 1

Flash Point(F)

Not applicable

Flash Point(C)

Not applicable


Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

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Potassium hydroxide catalyzed addition of arylamines to styrenes
Jaspers D, et al.
Synlett, 2011, 1444-1448 (2011)
Novel CuCl2-cryptand-[2.2. Benzo] complex: A base free and oxidant free catalyst for Ipso-Hydroxylation of aryl/heteroaryl-boronic acids in water at room temperature
Bora S, et al.
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 851, 52-56 (2017)
A Bronsted ammonium ionic liquid-KOH two-stage catalyst for biodiesel synthesis from crude palm oil
Man Z, et al.
Industrial Crops and Products, 144-149, 41-41 (2013)
Potential N-Heterocyclic Carbene Precursors in the Palladium-Catalyzed Heck Reaction
Demir S, et al.
Heteroatom Chem., 24, 77-83 (2013)
Pincer-Nickel Catalyzed Selective Guerbet-Type Reactions
Arora V, et al.
Organometallics, 40, 2870-2880 (2021)

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