Acetone - Structure, Preparation, Uses, FAQs

Q: What is the melting point of acetone?

Acetone melting point is -95 ° C.

Q: What is the formula of dry acetone?

Dry acetone formula is CH 3 COCH.

Acetone - Structure, Preparation, Uses, FAQs

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Jul 02, 2025 05:05 PM IST

Acetone solvent is also known as propanone and it is a type of organic compound that constitutes the formula (CH₃)₂CO. This compound is the simplest and smallest ketone known. Some of its property includes that it is colourless, highly volatile and flammable liquid and also constitutes a characteristic pungent smell.
Acetone is soluble in water and plays a role as an important organic solvent, also used in industries, also in home, and also in laboratories. Approx 6.7 million tonnes had been produced worldwide in the year 2010, and mainly used as a solvent and in the production of methyl methacrylate and bisphenol A. It is also a common building block in the field of organic chemistry. General household uses of acetone are that it is used as an active ingredient in nail polish remover and also as paint thinner. Whereas it also contains volatile organic compound (VOC).

This Story also Contains

History of acetone?
Method of preparation of acetone?
Industrial use of acetone?
What is acetone chemical ?

Acetone can be produced and disposed out from the human body through normal metabolic processes. It is generally present in blood and urine. People afftected with diabetic ketoacidosis produce it in very larger amounts. Reproductive toxicity tests proves that it has low potential to cause reproductive problems. Ketogenic diets that will increase ketone bodies throughout the blood are generally used to counter epileptic attacks in infants and also in the children who suffer from refractory epilepsy.

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History of acetone?

Acetone was first obtained by Andreas Libavius in the year 1606 through the process of distillation of Lead(II) acetate. In the year 1832, French chemist named as Jean-Baptiste Dumas and a German chemist named as Justus von Liebig gave the acetone the empirical formula. In the year 1833, there was a French chemist Antoine Bussy who named acetone. In acetone the suffix -one is added to the corresponding acid. By the year 1852, English chemist i.e. Alexander William Williamson realized that acetone is methyl acetyl and within the following year, the French chemist Charles Frédéric Gerhardt concurred that realization. The modern structural formula of acetone was published in year 1865 by a German chemist named as August Kekulé Johann Josef Schmidt had also presented the structure of acetone in the year 1861. Chaim Weizmann is the one who developed the process for industrial production of acetone and the process is known as Weizmann Process.

In the year 2010, the worldwide production ability for acetone was estimated around 6.7 million tonnes per year.

Acetone is generally produced directly or indirectly from propylene. About 83% of acetone is produced using the cumene process and as a result, acetone production is proportional to phenol production. In the cumene process itself , benzene is alkylated with propylene and then the product produce will be cumene, which is further oxidized by air to produce phenol and acetone.

Other processes that involves the direct oxidation of propylene are Wacker-Hoechst process and the hydration of propylene will be done to give 2-propanol, which is oxidized to form acetone.

C₃H₆0 structure.

acetone

Method of preparation of acetone?

Previously, acetone can also be formed by dry distillation of acetates.

Example: ketonic decarboxylation of calcium

ketonic decarboxylation of calcium

During World War I, acetone can be produced using acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation with the help of Clostridium acetobutylicum i.e. a bacteria, and this method was developed by Chaim Weizmann, to help the British government in their war effort and this method is also used in the preparation of Cordite.

Acetone density

0.791 g/mL

About (CH₃)₂CO

It is a type of organic compound and constitute the formula (CH₃)₂CO. This compound is the simplest and smallest ketone known. Some of its property includes that it is colourless, highly volatile and flammable liquid and also constitutes a characteristic pungent smell.

Acetone is soluble in water and plays a role as an important organic solvent, also used in industries, also in home, and also in laboratories. Approx 6.7 million tonnes had been produced worldwide in the year 2010, and mainly used as a solvent and in the production of methyl methacrylate and bisphenol A. It is also a common building block in the field of organic chemistry. General household uses of acetone are that it is used as an active ingredient in nail polish remover and also as paint thinner. Whereas it also contains volatile organic compound (VOC).

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Industrial use of acetone?

About one third of the world's acetone is used in industries as a solvent, and a quarter of acetone formed is consumed to form acetone cyanohydrin, which is a precursor of methyl methacrylate.

Solvent

Acetone is also a good solvent for plastics and many synthetic fibers. It is also used for thinning polyester resin, cleaning tools also uses acetone for their proper function, and dissolving two-part i.e. epoxies and superglue before they will become hard. It is also used as one of the volatile constituent in some paints and varnishes. Also as a heavy-duty degreaser a d it is also very useful in the preparation of metal that is prior to painting or soldering, and also it is used to remove rosin flux after soldering will be done (i.e. to prevent adhesion of dirt and electrical leakage ), although it can also attacks many of the electronic components ( such as polystyrene capacitors) so it is unfit for cleaning of circuit boards.

Also Read:

What is acetone chemical ?

Acetone that is also known as propanone and it is a type of organic compound and constitute the formula (CH₃)₂CO. This compound is the simplest and smallest ketone known. Some of its property includes that it is colourless, highly volatile and flammable liquid and also constitutes a characteristic pungent smell.

Also check-

NCERT Chemistry Notes:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the melting point of acetone?

Acetone melting point is -95°C.

2. What is the formula of dry acetone?

Dry acetone formula is CH₃COCH.

3. Fill in the blank. C3H6Oname is ______.

Acetone

4. Give two acetone properties?

Acetone is colourless liquid.
It is sweet in taste.

5. What is acetone common name?

Acetone common name is 2-Propanone.

6. What is the significance of acetone in diabetes management and diagnosis?

Elevated levels of acetone in breath or urine can be an indicator of diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious complication of diabetes. In this condition, the body produces excess ketones (including acetone) from fat breakdown when it cannot use glucose for energy due to insulin deficiency or resistance.

7. What is the principle behind using acetone in chemical peels?

Acetone is sometimes used in chemical peels due to its ability to remove oils and dead skin cells from the skin surface. It acts as a degreasing agent and can penetrate the upper layers of the skin, helping to remove impurities and prepare the skin for other treatments. However, its use is controversial due to potential skin irritation and drying effects.

8. What is the role of acetone in the synthesis of PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate)?

Acetone plays an indirect role in the synthesis of PMMA, commonly known as acrylic or plexiglass. It is used in the production of methyl methacrylate, the monomer for PMMA. Acetone reacts with hydrogen cyanide to form acetone cyanohydrin, which is then converted to methyl methacrylate. This monomer is then polymerized to form PMMA, showcasing acetone's importance in polymer chemistry.

9. What is the role of acetone in the production of methyl methacrylate?

Acetone is a key starting material in the production of methyl methacrylate, an important monomer for acrylic plastics. The process involves the reaction of acetone with hydrogen cyanide to form acetone cyanohydrin, which is then converted to methyl methacrylate through a series of reactions.

10. What is the significance of acetone's keto-enol tautomerism?

Keto-enol tautomerism in acetone involves the interconversion between its keto form (CH3COCH3) and enol form (CH3C(OH)=CH2). This tautomerism is important in many organic reactions, influencing acetone's reactivity and its ability to participate in certain chemical transformations.

11. How does acetone participate in aldol condensation reactions?

Acetone can undergo aldol condensation in the presence of a base catalyst. In this reaction, one acetone molecule acts as a nucleophile (in its enolate form) and attacks the carbonyl group of another acetone molecule, resulting in the formation of a β-hydroxy ketone (aldol product) which can further dehydrate to form an α,β-unsaturated ketone.

12. How does acetone behave as a solvent, and why is it effective for many organic compounds?

Acetone is an excellent solvent for many organic compounds due to its ability to form hydrogen bonds and engage in dipole-dipole interactions. Its polar carbonyl group can interact with polar parts of solutes, while its nonpolar methyl groups can interact with nonpolar regions, making it effective for a wide range of organic substances.

13. How does acetone interact with proteins, and why is this important in biochemistry?

Acetone can disrupt the hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions that maintain protein structure, leading to protein denaturation. This property is important in biochemistry for protein precipitation and purification techniques, as well as understanding the effects of organic solvents on biological systems.

14. What is the mechanism of acetone formation in the cumene process?

In the cumene process, acetone is formed as a co-product during the production of phenol. The mechanism involves the oxidation of cumene (isopropylbenzene) to form cumene hydroperoxide, which then undergoes acid-catalyzed rearrangement to produce phenol and acetone.

15. What type of hybridization does the carbon in the carbonyl group of acetone exhibit?

The carbon atom in the carbonyl group of acetone exhibits sp2 hybridization. This results in a trigonal planar geometry around the carbon, with bond angles of approximately 120°.

16. How does the reactivity of acetone compare to that of aldehydes?

Acetone is generally less reactive than aldehydes due to the presence of two alkyl groups adjacent to the carbonyl. These groups provide steric hindrance and electron-donating effects, making the carbonyl carbon less electrophilic compared to aldehydes, which have a hydrogen atom in place of one alkyl group.

17. What is the Wolff-Kishner reduction, and how does it apply to acetone?

The Wolff-Kishner reduction is a method for converting carbonyl compounds to alkanes. When applied to acetone, it results in the formation of propane (CH3CH2CH3). This reaction involves the formation of a hydrazone intermediate followed by its reduction in the presence of a strong base and heat.

18. How does acetone behave in acid-base reactions?

Acetone can act as a weak Brønsted base, accepting protons to form an oxonium ion. It can also undergo acid-catalyzed reactions, such as keto-enol tautomerization, where the acidic catalyst facilitates the conversion between the keto and enol forms of acetone.

19. What is the molecular formula of acetone?

The molecular formula of acetone is C3H6O. This means it contains 3 carbon atoms, 6 hydrogen atoms, and 1 oxygen atom.

20. Why is acetone considered a ketone?

Acetone is considered a ketone because it contains a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms. This structural feature defines ketones, distinguishing them from aldehydes where the carbonyl group is at the end of the carbon chain.

21. How does the structure of acetone contribute to its properties?

Acetone's structure, with a central carbonyl group and two methyl groups, contributes to its high volatility, low boiling point, and excellent solvent properties. The polar carbonyl group allows it to dissolve in water, while the nonpolar methyl groups enable it to dissolve organic compounds.

22. What is the IUPAC name for acetone?

The IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) name for acetone is propanone. This name reflects its three-carbon chain structure with a ketone functional group.

23. How does acetone differ from other ketones in its series?

Acetone is the simplest ketone, with just three carbon atoms. It differs from other ketones in its series by having lower boiling and melting points, higher volatility, and greater water solubility due to its smaller size and lower molecular weight.

24. How does acetone affect the colligative properties of solutions?

As a solute, acetone affects the colligative properties of solutions, including freezing point depression, boiling point elevation, vapor pressure lowering, and osmotic pressure. These effects are proportional to the concentration of acetone molecules in solution and are independent of acetone's specific chemical properties, following the principles of colligative properties for non-electrolyte solutes.

25. Why is acetone more volatile than water despite having a higher molecular weight?

Acetone is more volatile than water because it has weaker intermolecular forces. While water forms strong hydrogen bonds between molecules, acetone primarily experiences weaker dipole-dipole interactions, allowing its molecules to escape more easily into the gas phase.

26. How does the polarity of acetone compare to that of water?

Acetone is less polar than water. While both molecules have a polar bond (C=O in acetone, O-H in water), the overall polarity of acetone is reduced by its nonpolar methyl groups. Water's higher polarity results from its bent structure and highly electronegative oxygen atom.

27. What is the significance of acetone's resonance structures?

Acetone's resonance structures demonstrate the delocalization of electrons in the molecule. This electron delocalization contributes to the stability of acetone and influences its reactivity, particularly in reactions involving the carbonyl group.

28. How does the boiling point of acetone compare to similar-sized alkanes?

Acetone has a higher boiling point than similar-sized alkanes due to its polar nature. The carbonyl group in acetone allows for dipole-dipole interactions between molecules, requiring more energy to overcome than the weak van der Waals forces in nonpolar alkanes.

29. What is the Fehling's test, and why doesn't acetone give a positive result?

The Fehling's test is used to detect aldehydes, which can be oxidized to carboxylic acids. Acetone doesn't give a positive result because, as a ketone, it lacks a hydrogen atom attached to the carbonyl carbon, preventing its oxidation under these conditions.

30. How does acetone contribute to the greenhouse effect compared to CO2?

While acetone is a volatile organic compound that can contribute to atmospheric chemistry, its direct contribution to the greenhouse effect is minimal compared to CO2. Acetone has a short atmospheric lifetime and is primarily removed by photolysis and reaction with hydroxyl radicals, limiting its long-term impact on climate.

31. What is the role of acetone in the synthesis of bisphenol A?

Acetone is a key reactant in the synthesis of bisphenol A, an important industrial chemical used in plastics production. The reaction involves the condensation of two phenol molecules with one acetone molecule under acidic conditions, forming 4,4'-(propane-2,2-diyl)diphenol, commonly known as bisphenol A.

32. How does the presence of acetone affect the freezing point of water?

Acetone lowers the freezing point of water when mixed with it. This is an example of freezing point depression, a colligative property that depends on the number of dissolved particles. The effect is due to the acetone molecules interfering with the formation of ice crystals in the water.

33. What is the principle behind using acetone in 3D printing?

In 3D printing, particularly with ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) plastics, acetone is used for smoothing and finishing printed objects. The principle is based on acetone's ability to partially dissolve the plastic surface, allowing it to flow and resettle, resulting in a smoother finish. This process is often called "acetone vapor smoothing."

34. How does acetone participate in free radical reactions?

Acetone can participate in free radical reactions, particularly under photochemical conditions. When exposed to UV light, acetone can undergo homolytic cleavage to form methyl and acetyl radicals. These radicals can then initiate various chain reactions, making acetone useful in some photochemical processes.

35. What is the significance of acetone's hydrogen bonding capabilities?

Acetone's ability to form hydrogen bonds is significant for its solvent properties and interactions with other molecules. While acetone cannot form hydrogen bonds with itself, its carbonyl oxygen can act as a hydrogen bond acceptor. This allows acetone to form hydrogen bonds with water and other hydrogen bond donors, contributing to its miscibility with water and its effectiveness as a solvent for polar compounds.

36. How does acetone behave in nucleophilic addition reactions?

In nucleophilic addition reactions, the carbonyl group of acetone acts as an electrophile. Nucleophiles attack the partially positive carbon of the carbonyl group, forming a tetrahedral intermediate. However, acetone is less reactive in these reactions compared to aldehydes due to steric hindrance and electron-donating effects from its two methyl groups.

37. What is the role of acetone in the production of MIBK (Methyl Isobutyl Ketone)?

Acetone is a key starting material in the production of MIBK. The process involves the aldol condensation of acetone to form diacetone alcohol, followed by dehydration to mesityl oxide. The mesityl oxide is then hydrogenated to produce MIBK. This multi-step process showcases acetone's versatility in organic synthesis.

38. How does acetone affect the vapor pressure of its aqueous solutions?

When acetone is added to water, it increases the vapor pressure of the solution. This is because acetone has a higher vapor pressure than water at room temperature. The resulting increase in vapor pressure follows Raoult's law for ideal solutions, though deviations can occur due to molecular interactions between acetone and water.

39. How does acetone interact with different types of plastics?

Acetone interacts differently with various plastics based on their chemical composition. It can dissolve or soften some plastics like polystyrene, ABS, and certain acrylics by breaking down their polymer chains. However, it does not significantly affect other plastics like polyethylene or polypropylene. This selective interaction is important in applications ranging from plastic welding to 3D print finishing.

40. What is the role of acetone in the synthesis of chloroform?

Acetone is a key reactant in the haloform reaction, which is used to synthesize chloroform. In this reaction, acetone reacts with chlorine in the presence of a base. The process involves the formation of trichloroacetone as an intermediate, which then undergoes base-induced cleavage to form chloroform and sodium acetate.

41. How does the presence of acetone affect the surface tension of water?

Acetone reduces the surface tension of water when mixed with it. This is because acetone molecules can position themselves at the air-water interface, disrupting the cohesive forces between water molecules at the surface. The reduction in surface tension affects properties like capillary action and droplet formation, which is relevant in various applications from cleaning to ink formulation.

42. What is the significance of acetone's dipole moment?

Acetone has a significant dipole moment due to the polar carbonyl group. This dipole moment is crucial for understanding acetone's physical properties and chemical behavior. It contributes to acetone's ability to dissolve in water and other polar solvents, its effectiveness as a solvent for polar compounds, and its participation in various chemical reactions where polarity plays a role.

43. How does acetone behave in Grignard reagent preparations?

Acetone is often used as a solvent in the preparation of Grignard reagents due to its ability to dissolve both organic halides and magnesium. However, it must be thoroughly dried before use, as any water present can react with the Grignard reagent. Acetone itself can also react with Grignard reagents, forming tertiary alcohols, which is an important consideration in these preparations.

44. What is the principle behind using acetone in protein precipitation?

Acetone is used in protein precipitation because it can disrupt the hydration shell around proteins and alter their solubility. As a water-miscible organic solvent, acetone reduces the dielectric constant of the solution, strengthening electrostatic interactions between protein molecules. This leads to aggregation and precipitation of proteins, a technique often used in protein purification and analysis.

45. How does acetone participate in the formation of mesityl oxide?

Acetone participates in the formation of mesityl oxide through an aldol condensation reaction. Two acetone molecules initially undergo aldol addition to form diacetone alcohol. This intermediate then undergoes dehydration, eliminating water to form mesityl oxide, an α,β-unsaturated ketone. This reaction showcases acetone's ability to act as both an electrophile and a nucleophile in organic synthesis.

46. What is the significance of acetone's use in the production of acetic anhydride?

Acetone is used in one method of producing acetic anhydride, an important industrial chemical. In this process, acetone is first converted to ketene (CH2=C=O) at high temperatures. The ketene then reacts with acetic acid to form acetic anhydride. This route is significant as it provides an alternative to the traditional method using acetic acid and demonstrates acetone's versatility in industrial organic synthesis.

47. How does acetone behave in photochemical reactions?

In photochemical reactions, acetone can absorb UV light, leading to the formation of excited states. These excited molecules can undergo various reactions, including homolytic cleavage to form radicals (Norrish Type I reaction) or hydrogen abstraction from another molecule (Norrish Type II reaction). These photochemical properties make acetone useful in certain synthetic processes and contribute to its atmospheric chemistry.

48. What is the principle behind using acetone in the production of methyl isobutyl carbinol?

Acetone is a key starting material in the production of methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC). The process involves the aldol condensation of acetone to form diacetone alcohol, which is then partially hydrogenated. This reaction sequence demonstrates acetone's ability to undergo both condensation and reduction reactions, highlighting its versatility in organic synthesis.

49. How does acetone interact with cellulose-based materials?

Acetone can interact with cellulose-based materials by disrupting hydrogen bonds between cellulose chains. This can lead to swelling or partial dissolution of