Product Name:

Isobutyronitrile

Synonyms:

Isobutylronitrile;#niso-Butyronitrile;ISOBUTYRONITRILE, 99.6%;Azobis (2-methylpropionitrile);1-Cyano-1-methylethane;2-Cyanopropane;2-methyl-propanenitril;2-methyl-propanoicacinitrile

CAS:

78-82-0

MF:

C4H7N

MW:

69.11

EINECS:

201-147-5

Product Categories:

Organics

Mol File:

78-82-0.mol

Melting point 

-72 °C (lit.)

Boiling point 

107-108 °C (lit.)

density 

0.770 g/mL at 20 °C (lit.)

vapor density 

2.38 (vs air)

vapor pressure 

100 mm Hg ( 54.4 °C)

refractive index 

n20/D 1.372(lit.)

Fp 

39 °F

storage temp. 

Flammables area

solubility 

slightly soluble in water and acetone, very soluble in alcohol and ether

form 

Liquid

color 

Clear colorless to light yellow

Water Solubility 

35 g/L (20 ºC)

Merck 

14,5156

BRN 

1340512

Stability:

Stable. Flammable. May form explosive mixtures with air. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents.

CAS DataBase Reference

78-82-0(CAS DataBase Reference)

NIST Chemistry Reference

Propanenitrile, 2-methyl-(78-82-0)

EPA Substance Registry System

Isobutyronitrile (78-82-0)

Hazard Codes 

F,T

Risk Statements 

11-23/24/25-36/37/38

Safety Statements 

9-16-24/25-26-36/37/39-45-23

RIDADR 

UN 2284 3/PG 2

WGK Germany 

2

RTECS 

TZ4900000

Hazard Note 

Highly Flammable/Toxic

TSCA 

Yes

HazardClass 

3

PackingGroup 

II

HS Code 

29269095

Hazardous Substances Data

78-82-0(Hazardous Substances Data)

Toxicity

LD50 (mg/kg): 25 i.p. in mice; 200 orally in rats (Zeller); LD50 orally in male mice: 0.3652 mmol/kg (Tanii)

Chemical Properties

colourless liquid

Uses

Solvent.

Uses

Isobutyronitrile can be derived from isobutyraldehyde and is used in organic synthesis and as a gasoline additive.

Production Methods

Isobutyronitrile is prepared from isobutyraldehyde by cyanation with ammonia.

General Description

A clear colorless liquid. Flash point 47°F. Less dense than water. Vapors heavier than air. Toxic oxides of nitrogen produced during combustion.

Air & Water Reactions

Highly flammable. Slightly soluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

Isobutyronitrile is incompatible with the following: Oxidizers, reducing agents, strong acids & bases .

Hazard

Toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption.

Health Hazard

Isobutyronitrile is considered highly hazardous and full precautions should be taken to prevent skin contact or inhalation of vapor. Inhaled isobutyronitrile is about 2.4 times as toxic as acetonitrile in rats. In order to protect workers, the recommended TWA limit is obtained by dividing that for acetonitrile by the factor 2.4. NIOSH has therefore recommended that employee exposure should not exceed 8 p.p.m. (22 mg/m³) for either compound as a TLV-TWA .
Isobutyronitrile was implicated in several cases of industrial poisoning. Thiess and Hey reported that a worker became unconscious following isobutyronitrile exposure. His immediate symptomatology included convulsive movements of upper limbs, soft and thready pulse, dilated pupils, shallow and gasping breathing and secretion of viscous mucus. After hospital admission, an exacerbation of the condition occurred with tonic-clonic movements of the upper extremities. The patient was cyanotic, the pulse faint and thready. The patient was treated intravenously with noradrenaline (1 mg) followed by amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite, and sodium thiosulphate. The man's cyanotic condition diminished and his pulse strengthened, although his gasping breath and upper limb convulsions continued. He was given intravenous injections of lobeline and phenobarbital. Rapid improvement occurred and the patient recovered gradually, leaving the hospital symptom-free at 14 d after admission. Two milder inhalation exposures of isobutyronitrile were reported by Zeller et al in which an unknown concentration of vapor produced headache, dizziness, and vomiting at 10-60 min after exposure. The intensity of symptoms varied with the concentration and duration of exposure.

Health Hazard

Poisonous; may be fatal if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through skin. Contact may cause burns to skin and eyes. (Non-Specific -- Nitriles) Primarily, they are skin and eye irritants. Large doses cause collapse and stop breathing.

Fire Hazard

Vapor may explode if ignited in an enclosed area. Toxic oxides of nitrogen are produced during combustion. Isobutyronitrile is a flammable/combustible material and may be ignited by heat, sparks, or flames. Vapors may travel to a source of ignition and flash back. Container may explode in heat of fire. Vapor explosion and poison hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers. Runoff to sewer may create fire or explosion hazard. Hazardous polymerization may not occur.

Industrial uses

Isobutyronitrile is used in organic synthesis, as a catalyst in the polymerization of ethylene and in the petroleum industry as a gasoline additive.

Metabolism

Thiocyanate was present in the urine of rats dosed orally with isobutyronitrile.

Purification Methods

Shake the nitrile with conc HCl (to remove isonitriles), then with water and aqueous NaHCO3. After a preliminary drying with silica gel or Linde type 4A molecular sieves, it is shaken or stirred with CaH2 until hydrogen evolution ceases, then decanted and distilled from P2O5 (not more than 5g/L, to minimize gel formation) or Drierite (b 101-103o/760mm). Finally it is refluxed with, and slowly distilled from CaH2 (5g/L), taking precautions to exclude moisture. [Beilstein 2 H 294, 2 I 129, 2 II 263, 2 III 655, 2 IV 853.]

Raw materials

ISOBUTYLENE-->2-Methyl-1-propanol-->Isobutyraldehyde-->Zinc sulphate-->HYDROGEN CYANIDE-->Isobutylamine-->Isobutyramide

Preparation Products

Isobutyric acid-->L-Valine-->Diazinon-->VALERATE-->2-ISOPROPYL-6-METHYL-4-PYRIMIDINOL-->Ethyl isovalerate-->2-METHYLPROPANIMIDAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDE-->Bladex-->Benzeneacetonitrile, 2-fluoro-alpha,alpha-dimethyl--->2-chloro-2-methylpropiononitrile-->4-Amino-2,4-dihydro-5-(1-methylethyl)-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one