Welcome to the MedLibrary.org Wikipedia Supplement on 2-butanone -- Please Click to Return to Front Page

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (October 2007)

Butanone
Other names	Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK); Methylpropanone; Ethylmethylketone
Identifiers
CAS number	78-93-3
RTECS number	EL6475000
SMILES	CCC(=O)C
Properties
Molecular formula	C4H8O CH3(CO)CH2CH3
Molar mass	72.11 g/mol
Appearance	Colorless liquid
Density	0.8050 g/cm³, liquid
Melting point	−86 °C (187 K)
Boiling point	80 °C (353 K)
Solubility in water	29 g/100 ml (20 °C)
Viscosity	0,43 cP at 20 °C
Structure
Dipole moment	2.76 D
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS
EU classification	Flammable (F) Irritant (Xi)
NFPA 704	3 1 0
R-phrases	R11, R36, R66, R67
S-phrases	(S2), S9, S16
Flash point	−9 °C
Autoignition temperature	505 °C
Related compounds
Related Ketones	Acetone; 3-pentanone; 3-Methylbutanone
Supplementary data page
Structure and properties	n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic data	Phase behaviour Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data	UV, IR, NMR, MS
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox references

Butanone is a manufactured organic chemical. It is a colorless liquid with a sharp, sweet butterscotch odor reminiscent of acetone. It is a ketone, also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK).

Butanone is produced in large quantities. Nearly half of it is used in paints and other coatings because it will quickly evaporate. It dissolves many substances and is used as a solvent in processes involving gums, resins, cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose coatings and in vinyl films. It is also used in the synthetic rubber industry, and as a catalyst for polyester resin hardening. It is also used in manufacturing plastics, textiles, in the production of paraffin wax, and in household products such as lacquer, varnishes, paint remover, a denaturing agent for denatured alcohol, glues and as a cleaning agent. MEK is also used in dry erase markers as the solvent of the erasable dye. It is used for synthesis of methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, a catalyst for some polymerization reactions. It is highly flammable. It is not considered a large health threat.

Butanone occurs as a natural product. It is made by some trees and found in some fruits and vegetables in small amounts. It is also released to the air from car and truck exhausts.

Health effects

The known health effects to people from exposure to butanone are irritation of the nose, throat, skin, and eyes. There are no known cases of any humans dying from breathing butanone alone. However, if butanone is breathed along with other chemicals that damage health, it can increase the amount of damage that occurs.

Serious health effects in animals have been seen only at very high levels. When breathed, these effects included birth defects (Schwetz et al. 1991. Fund. Appl. Toxicol. 16:742-748), loss of consciousness, and death. When swallowed, rats had nervous system effects including drooping eyelids and uncoordinated muscle movements. There was no damage to the ability to reproduce. Mice who breathed low levels for a short time showed temporary behavioral effects. Mild kidney damage was seen in animals that drank water with low levels of butanone for a short time.

There are no long-term studies with animals either breathing or drinking butanone.

Methyl ethyl ketone is listed as a Table II precursor under the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances[1].

Potential Health Effects

Inhalation: Causes irritation to the nose and throat. Concentrations above the TLV may cause headache, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, and vomiting. Higher concentrations may cause central nervous system depression and unconsciousness. Ingestion: May produce abdominal pain, nausea. Aspiration into lungs can produce severe lung damage and is a medical emergency. Other symptoms expected to parallel inhalation. Skin Contact: Causes irritation to skin. Symptoms include redness, itching, and pain. May be absorbed through the skin with possible systemic effects. Eye Contact: Vapors are irritating to the eyes. Splashes can produce painful irritation and eye damage. Chronic Exposure: Prolonged skin contact may defat the skin and produce dermatitis. Chronic exposure may cause central nervous system effects. Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions: Persons with pre-existing skin disorders or eye problems or impaired respiratory function may be more susceptible to the effects of the substance.

External links

• International Chemical Safety Card 0179
• National Pollutant Inventory - Methyl Ethyl Ketone Fact Sheet
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
• US EPA Datasheet

• US NIH list of products that contain butanone (MEK)

Wikipedia content modification information:

• This page was last modified on 6 November 2008, at 00:26.

Wikipedia Authorship and Review

Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.

Wikipedia Usage Guidelines

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "2-butanone".

The URL for this specific entry is:

• http://medlibrary.org/medwiki/2-butanone

All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.