Acetonitrile (CAS 75-05-8)

Acetonitrile, with the CAS number 75-05-8, is a colorless, volatile liquid that is the simplest organic nitrile. It is synthesized primarily through the dehydration of acetic acid and ammonia or as a byproduct in the manufacture of acrylonitrile. Acetonitrile is highly prized in the field of analytical chemistry, particularly as a polar aprotic solvent in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry. Its low viscosity and high elution strength make it ideal for separating substances that are poorly soluble in water, enabling it to carry a wide range of chemical species through a chromatographic column swiftly and efficiently. This solvent′s excellent miscibility with water and other organic solvents further enhances its utility in creating various solvent mixtures to optimize the resolution and detection of analytes in complex mixtures. In synthetic organic chemistry, acetonitrile is used as a solvent for carrying out anionic reactions due to its ability to dissolve electrolytes and its inert nature under reaction conditions. It is also employed in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and perfumes, where it acts as a solvent or intermediate. Moreover, in non-biological research, acetonitrile′s properties are exploited in DNA synthesis and peptide sequencing, facilitating the solubilization of nucleotides and peptides, respectively, and improving the yield and purity of these biomolecules.