Skip to Content
Merck
All Photos(1)

Documents

CN34891

Sigma-Aldrich

Acetonitrile

≥99.9% (GC), suitable for solid phase extraction (SPE)

Synonym(s):

ACN, Cyanomethane, Ethyl nitrile, Methyl cyanide

Sign Into View Organizational & Contract Pricing


About This Item

Linear Formula:
CH3CN
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
41.05
Beilstein:
741857
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352001
PubChem Substance ID:

product name

Acetonitrile, Preparateur, ≥99.9% (GC), One-time steel-plastic (SP) drum

vapor density

1.41 (vs air)

vapor pressure

72.8 mmHg ( 20 °C)

Assay

≥99.9% (GC)

form

liquid

autoignition temp.

973 °F

expl. lim.

16 %

technique(s)

solid phase extraction (SPE): suitable

impurities

≤0.005% free acid (as CH3COOH)
≤0.02% water (Karl Fischer)
≤1 mg/L non-volatile matter

color

colorless

transmittance

200 nm, >50%
220 nm, >90%

refractive index

n20/D 1.344 (lit.)

bp

81-82 °C (lit.)

mp

−45 °C (lit.)

density

0.786 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.)

format

neat

SMILES string

CC#N

InChI

1S/C2H3N/c1-2-3/h1H3

InChI key

WEVYAHXRMPXWCK-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Looking for similar products? Visit Product Comparison Guide

General description

Acetonitrile (MeCN), an aliphatic nitrile, is a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor. It is widely used as a solvent and intermediate in organic syntheses. It is transparent to UV-visible light, making it highly applicable in spectrophotometric and fluorimetric techniques. As MeCN has low viscosity, high elution strength and is highly miscible in water, it is utilized as a mobile phase component in many chromatographic techniques. It also plays a major role as an extractant medium in liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction or microextraction. Its infrared spectrum has been recorded. Synthesis of alkyl hydroperoxides in MeCN by alkane oxidation with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iron complexes has been studied. The hydrogenation of MeCN to form ethylamine using Co-B amorphous alloy catalyst has been investigated.

Application

Acetonitrile may be used as solvent in the following processes:
  • Determination of pKa values of organic superbases using the isodensity polarization continuum model (IPCM).
  • Preparation of 1,2-azidoalcohols and 1,2-azidoamines via cerium(III) chloride assisted ring opening of epoxides and aziridines by sodium azide.
  • Synthesis of cyano-bearing indolinones by oxidative arylalkylation of olefins in the presence of palladium catalyst.
  • To study the dynamics of the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) reaction of 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile.

Pictograms

FlameExclamation mark

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 4 Dermal - Acute Tox. 4 Inhalation - Acute Tox. 4 Oral - Eye Irrit. 2 - Flam. Liq. 2

Storage Class Code

3 - Flammable liquids

WGK

WGK 2

Flash Point(F)

35.6 °F - closed cup

Flash Point(C)

2.0 °C - closed cup


Choose from one of the most recent versions:

Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Lot/Batch Number

Don't see the Right Version?

If you require a particular version, you can look up a specific certificate by the Lot or Batch number.

Already Own This Product?

Find documentation for the products that you have recently purchased in the Document Library.

Visit the Document Library

Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Arylalkylation of Activated Alkenes: Dual C-H Bond Cleavage of an Arene and Acetonitrile.
Wu T, et al.
Angewandte Chemie (International Edition in English), 50(52), 12578-12581 (2011)
Cerium (III) chloride promoted highly regioselective ring opening of epoxides and aziridines using NaN3 in acetonitrile: a facile synthesis of 1,2-azidoalcohols and 1,2-azidoamines.
Sabitha G, et al.
Organic Letters, 4(3), 343-345 (2002)
Hydrogen peroxide oxygenation of alkanes including methane and ethane catalyzed by iron complexes in acetonitrile.
Shul'pin GB, et al.
Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis, 346(2-3), 317-332 (2004)
Liquid phase hydrogenation of acetonitrile to ethylamine over the Co-B amorphous alloy catalyst.
Li H, et al.
J. Catal., 214(1), 15-25 (2003)
Infrared spectra of acetonitrile and acetonitrile-d3.
Pace EL and Noe LJ.
J. Chem. Phys. , 49, 5317-5325 (1968)

Our team of scientists has experience in all areas of research including Life Science, Material Science, Chemical Synthesis, Chromatography, Analytical and many others.

Contact Technical Service