What Is Acetophenone?
Acetophenone, also known as methylphenyl ketone, has a distinctive orange blossom-like aroma. It is a colorless liquid at room temperature. As a natural product, acetophenone is found in labdanum oil, sea dandelion incense, strawberries, and Japanese tea flowers. Acetophenone is widely used in fragrances, solvents, and as a material for organic synthesis.
Physicochemical Properties of Acetophenone
Acetophenone has a molecular formula of C8H8O, and its IUPAC name is 1-phenylethan-1-one. It holds a molecular weight of 120.15 and has a melting point of 19.65°C. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in ethanol and chloroform.
Characteristics and Uses of Acetophenone
Unique Aroma and Use as a Flavoring Agent
Acetophenone is widely used as a synthetic raw material for flavoring and fragrances, taking advantage of its unique aroma. Examples of its use include many foods such as nuts, beverages, ice cream, and candy, as well as cigarettes.
High Reactivity of the Keto Group and Its Use in Industrial Products and Pharmaceuticals
Acetophenone is a useful substrate in the organic synthesis of industrial products and pharmaceuticals due to its structural feature of having a carbonyl group. In industrial product applications, acetophenone is used as a raw material for photoinitiators for functional resins and photographic films, which are still in strong demand, as well as various solvents that take advantage of its high boiling point and excellent stability.
Chalcones as Synthetic Substrates and Their Relationship to Green Chemistry
This compound is a good substrate for the well-known aldol reaction, a reaction that stretches CC bonds to form new bonds. Because of this feature, it is widely used as an intermediate in many pharmaceuticals. One example of such a reaction is the synthesis of chalcones by aldol condensation of