Isopropyl alcohol

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Isopropyl alcohol
Skeletal formula of isopropyl alcohol
Ball-and-stick model of isopropyl alcohol
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
Propan-2-ol[2]
Other names
2-Propanol
Isopropanol[1]
Rubbing alcohol
sec-Propyl alcohol
s-Propanol
iPrOH
i-PrOH
IpOH
Dimethyl carbinol
IPA
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
635639
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.000.601
1464
KEGG
RTECS number
  • NT8050000
UNII
UN number 1219
Properties
C3H8O
Molar mass 60.096 g·mol−1
Appearance Colorless liquid
Density 0.786 g/cm3 (20 °C)
Melting point −89 °C (−128 °F; 184 K)
Boiling point 82.6 °C (180.7 °F; 355.8 K)
Miscible with water
Solubility Miscible with benzene, chloroform, ethanol, ether, glycerin; soluble in acetone
log P 0.16[3]
Acidity (pKa) 16.5[4]
−45.794·10−6 cm3/mol
1.3776
Viscosity 2.86 cP at 15 °C
1.96 cP at 25 °C[5]
1.77 cP at 30 °C[5]
1.66 D (gas)
Pharmacology
D08AX05 (WHO)
Hazards
Main hazards Flammable
Safety data sheet See: data page
External MSDS
GHS pictograms GHS07: Harmful GHS02: Flammable
GHS signal word Danger
H225, H319, H336
P210, P261, P305+351+338
NFPA 704
Flammability code 3: Liquids and solids that can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions. Flash point between 23 and 38 °C (73 and 100 °F). E.g. gasolineHealth code 1: Exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual injury. E.g. turpentineReactivity code 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no codeNFPA 704 four-colored diamond
3
1
0
Flash point Open cup: 11.7 °C (53.1 °F; 284.8 K)
Closed cup: 13 °C (55 °F)
399 °C (750 °F; 672 K)
Explosive limits 2–12.7%
980 mg/m3 (TWA), 1225 mg/m3 (STEL)
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
  • 12800 mg/kg (dermal, rabbit)[citation needed]
  • 3600 mg/kg (oral, mouse)
  • 5045 mg/kg (oral, rat)
  • 6410 mg/kg (oral, rabbit)[7]
  • 16,000 ppm (rat, 4 hr)
  • 12,800 ppm (mouse, 3 hr)[7]
US health exposure limits (NIOSH):
PEL (Permissible)
TWA 400 ppm (980 mg/m3)[6]
REL (Recommended)
TWA 400 ppm (980 mg/m3), ST 500 ppm (1225 mg/m3)[6]
IDLH (Immediate danger)
2000 ppm[6]
Related compounds
Related alcohols
1-Propanol, ethanol, 2-butanol
Supplementary data page
Refractive index (n),
Dielectric constantr), etc.
Thermodynamic
data
Phase behaviour
solid–liquid–gas
UV, IR, NMR, MS
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
☑Y verify (what is ☑Y☒N ?)
Infobox references

Isopropyl alcohol (IUPAC name propan-2-ol; commonly called isopropanol or 2-propanol) is a colorless, flammable chemical compound (chemical formula CH3CHOHCH3) with a strong odor.[8] As an isopropyl group linked to a hydroxyl group, it is the simplest example of a secondary alcohol, where the alcohol carbon atom is attached to two other carbon atoms. It is a structural isomer of 1-propanol and ethyl methyl ether.

It is used in the manufacture of a wide variety of industrial and household chemicals, and is a common ingredient in chemicals such as antiseptics, disinfectants, and detergents.

Names[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol is also known as 2-propanol, sec-propyl alcohol, IPA, or isopropanol. IUPAC considers isopropanol an incorrect name as the hydrocarbon isopropane does not exist.[1]

Properties[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol is miscible in water, ethanol, ether, and chloroform. It dissolves ethyl cellulose, polyvinyl butyral, many oils, alkaloids, gums and natural resins.[9] Unlike ethanol or methanol, isopropyl alcohol is not miscible with salt solutions and can be separated from aqueous solutions by adding a salt such as sodium chloride. The process is colloquially called salting out, and causes concentrated isopropyl alcohol to separate into a distinct layer.[10]

Isopropyl alcohol forms an azeotrope with water, which gives a boiling point of 80.37 °C (176.67 °F) and a composition of 87.7 wt% (91 vol%) isopropyl alcohol. Water-isopropyl alcohol mixtures have depressed melting points.[10] It has a slightly bitter taste, and is not safe to drink.[10][11]

Isopropyl alcohol becomes increasingly viscous with decreasing temperature and freezes at −89 °C (−128 °F).

Isopropyl alcohol has a maximum absorbance at 205 nm in an ultraviolet-visible spectrum.[12][13]

Reactions[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol can be oxidized to acetone, which is the corresponding ketone. This can be achieved using oxidizing agents such as chromic acid, or by dehydrogenation of isopropyl alcohol over a heated copper catalyst:

(CH3)2CHOH → (CH3)2CO + H2

Isopropyl alcohol is often used as both solvent and hydride source in the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction and other transfer hydrogenation reactions. Isopropyl alcohol may be converted to 2-bromopropane using phosphorus tribromide, or dehydrated to propene by heating with sulfuric acid.

Like most alcohols, isopropyl alcohol reacts with active metals such as potassium to form alkoxides that can be called isopropoxides. The reaction with aluminium (initiated by a trace of mercury) is used to prepare the catalyst aluminium isopropoxide.[14]

History[edit]

In 1920, Standard Oil first produced isopropyl alcohol by hydrating propene. Its major use at the time was not rubbing alcohol but for oxidation to acetone, whose first major use was in World War I for the preparation of cordite, a smokeless, low explosive propellant.[15]

Production[edit]

In 1994, 1.5 million tonnes of isopropyl alcohol were produced in the United States, Europe, and Japan.[16] It is primarily produced by combining water and propene in a hydration reaction or by hydrogenating acetone.[16][17] There are two routes for the hydration process and both processes require that the isopropyl alcohol be separated from water and other by-products by distillation. Isopropyl alcohol and water form an azeotrope and simple distillation gives a material that is 87.9% by weight isopropyl alcohol and 12.1% by weight water.[18] Pure (anhydrous) isopropyl alcohol is made by azeotropic distillation of the wet isopropyl alcohol using either diisopropyl ether or cyclohexane as azeotroping agents.[16]

Indirect hydration[edit]

Indirect hydration reacts propene with sulfuric acid to form a mixture of sulfate esters. This process can use low-quality propene, and is predominant in the USA. These processes give primarily isopropyl alcohol rather than 1-propanol, because adding water or sulfuric acid to propene follows Markovnikov's rule. Subsequent hydrolysis of these esters by steam produces isopropyl alcohol, by distillation. Diisopropyl ether is a significant by-product of this process; it is recycled back to the process and hydrolyzed to give the desired product.[16]

Direct hydration[edit]

Direct hydration reacts propene and water, either in gas phase or in liquid phase, at high pressures in the presence of solid or supported acidic catalysts. This type of process usually requires higher-purity propylene (> 90%).[16] Direct hydration is more commonly used in Europe.

Hydrogenation of acetone[edit]

Crude acetone is hydrogenated in the liquid phase over Raney nickel or a mixture of copper and chromium oxide to give isopropyl alcohol. This process is useful, when it is coupled with excess acetone production, such as the cumene process.[16]

Uses[edit]

One of the small scale uses of isopropanol is in cloud chambers. Isopropanol has ideal physical and chemical properties to form a supersaturated layer of vapor which can be condensed by particles of radiation.

In 1990, 45,000 metric tonnes of isopropyl alcohol were used in the United States, mostly as a solvent for coatings or for industrial processes. In that year, 5400 metric tons were used for household purposes and in personal care products. Isopropyl alcohol is popular in particular for pharmaceutical applications,[16] due to its low toxicity. Some isopropyl alcohol is used as a chemical intermediate. Isopropyl alcohol may be converted to acetone, but the cumene process is more significant. It is also used as a gasoline additive.[16]

Solvent[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol dissolves a wide range of non-polar compounds. It also evaporates quickly, leaves nearly zero oil traces, compared to ethanol, and is relatively non-toxic, compared to alternative solvents. Thus, it is used widely as a solvent and as a cleaning fluid, especially for dissolving oils. Together with ethanol, n-butanol, and methanol, it belongs to the group of alcohol solvents, about 6.4 million tonnes of which were used worldwide in 2011.[19]

Isopropyl alcohol is commonly used for cleaning eyeglasses, electrical contacts, audio or video tape heads, DVD and other optical disc lenses, removing thermal paste from heatsinks on CPUs and other IC packages, etc.

Intermediate[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol is esterified to give isopropyl acetate, another solvent. It reacts with carbon disulfide and sodium hydroxide to give sodium isopropylxanthate, a herbicide and an ore flotation reagent.[20] Isopropyl alcohol reacts with titanium tetrachloride and aluminium metal to give titanium and aluminium isopropoxides, respectively, the former a catalyst, and the latter a chemical reagent.[16] This compound may serve as a chemical reagent in itself, by acting as a dihydrogen donor in transfer hydrogenation.

Medical[edit]

Rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting pads typically contain a 60–70% solution of isopropyl alcohol or ethanol in water. Water is required to open up membrane pores of bacteria, which acts as a gateway for isopropyl alcohol. A 75% v/v solution in water may be used as a hand sanitizer.[21] Isopropyl alcohol is used as a water-drying aid for the prevention of otitis externa, better known as swimmer's ear.[22]

Early uses as an anesthetic[edit]

Although isopropyl alcohol can be used for anesthesia, its many negative attributes or drawbacks prohibit this use. Isopropyl alcohol can also be used similarly to ether as a solvent[23] or as an anesthetic by inhaling the fumes or orally. Early uses included using the solvent as general anesthetic for small mammals[24] and rodents by scientists and some veterinarians. However, it was soon discontinued, as many complications arose, including respiratory irritation, internal bleeding, and visual and hearing problems. In rare cases, respiratory failure leading to death in animals was observed.

Automotive[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol is a major ingredient in "gas dryer" fuel additives. In significant quantities water is a problem in fuel tanks, as it separates from gasoline and can freeze in the supply lines at low temperatures. Alcohol does not remove water from gasoline—but the alcohol solubilizes water in gasoline. Once soluble, water does not pose the same risk as insoluble water, as it no longer accumulates in the supply lines and freezes, but is consumed with the fuel itself. Isopropyl alcohol is often sold in aerosol cans as a windshield or door lock deicer. Isopropyl alcohol is also used to remove brake fluid traces from hydraulic braking systems, so that the brake fluid (usually DOT 3, DOT 4, or mineral oil) does not contaminate the brake pads and cause poor braking. Mixtures of isopropyl alcohol and water are also commonly used in homemade windshield wiper fluid.

Laboratory[edit]

As a biological specimen preservative, isopropyl alcohol provides a comparatively non-toxic alternative to formaldehyde and other synthetic preservatives. Isopropyl alcohol solutions of 70–99% are used to preserve specimens.

Isopropyl alcohol is often used in DNA extraction. A lab worker adds it to a DNA solution to precipitate the DNA, which then forms a pellet after centrifugation. This is possible because DNA is insoluble in isopropyl alcohol.

Safety[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol vapor is denser than air and is flammable, with a flammability range of between 2 and 12.7% in air. It should be kept away from heat and open flame.[25] Distillation of isopropyl alcohol over magnesium has been reported to form peroxides, which may explode upon concentration.[26][27] Isopropyl alcohol is a skin irritant.[25][28][29] Wearing protective gloves is recommended.

Toxicology[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol and its metabolite, acetone, act as central nervous system (CNS) depressants.[30] Poisoning can occur from ingestion, inhalation, or skin absorption. Symptoms of isopropyl alcohol poisoning include flushing, headache, dizziness, CNS depression, nausea, vomiting, anesthesia, hypothermia, low blood pressure, shock, respiratory depression, and coma.[30] Overdoses may cause a fruity odor on the breath as a result of its metabolism to acetone.[31] Isopropyl alcohol does not cause an anion gap acidosis but it produces an osmolal gap between the calculated and measured osmolalities of serum, as do the other alcohols.[30]

Isopropyl alcohol is oxidized to form acetone by alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver,[30] and has a biological half-life in humans between 2.5 and 8.0 hours.[30] Unlike methanol or ethylene glycol poisoning, the metabolites of isopropyl alcohol are less toxic, and treatment is largely supportive. Furthermore, there is no indication for the use of fomepizole, an alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor, unless co-ingestion with methanol or ethylene glycol is suspected.[32]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Alcohols Rule C-201.1". Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry (The IUPAC 'Blue Book'), Sections A, B, C, D, E, F, and H. Oxford: Pergamon Press. 1979. Designations such as isopropanol, sec-butanol, and tert-butanol are incorrect because there are no hydrocarbons isopropane, sec-butane, and tert-butane to which the suffix "-ol" can be added; such names should be abandoned. Isopropyl alcohol, sec-butyl alcohol, and tert-butyl alcohol are, however, permissible (see Rule C-201.3) because the radicals isopropyl, sec-butyl, and tert-butyl do exist.
  2. ^ Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry : IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013 (Blue Book). Cambridge: The Royal Society of Chemistry. 2014. p. 631. doi:10.1039/9781849733069. ISBN 978-0-85404-182-4.
  3. ^ "Isopropanol_msds". chemsrc.com.
  4. ^ Reeve, W.; Erikson, C.M.; Aluotto, P.F. (1979). "A new method for the determination of the relative acidities of alcohols in alcoholic solutions. The nucleophilicities and competitive reactivities of alkoxides and phenoxides". Can. J. Chem. 57 (20): 2747–2754. doi:10.1139/v79-444.
  5. ^ a b Yaws, C.L. (1999). Chemical Properties Handbook. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-073401-2.
  6. ^ a b c NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. "#0359". National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
  7. ^ a b c "Isopropyl alcohol". Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health Concentrations (IDLH). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
  8. ^ "PubChem - Isopropanol". Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  9. ^ Doolittle, Arthur K. (1954). The Technology of Solvents and Plasticizers. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 628.
  10. ^ a b c The Merck Index (10th ed.). Rahway, NJ: Merck & Co. 1983. p. 749.
  11. ^ Logsden, John E.; Loke, Richard A (1999). "Propyl Alcohols". In Jacqueline I., Kroschwitz (ed.). Kirk-Othmer Concise Encylclopedia of Chemical Technology (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 1654–1656. ISBN 978-0471419617.
  12. ^ "Isopropyl Alcohol, UltimAR, Suitable for Liquid Chromatography, Extract/Conc, UV-Spectrophotometry". VWR International. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  13. ^ "UV Cutoff" (PDF). University of Toronto. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  14. ^ Young, W.; Hartung, W.; Crossley, F. (1936). "Reduction of Aldehydes with Aluminum Isopropoxide". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 58: 100–2. doi:10.1021/ja01292a033.
  15. ^ Wittcoff, M.M. Green ; H.A. (2003). Organic chemistry principles and industrial practice (1. ed., 1. reprint. ed.). Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. p. 4. ISBN 978-3-527-30289-5.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i Papa, A. J. "Propanols". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a22_173.
  17. ^ Logsdon, John E.; Loke, Richard A. (December 4, 2000). "Isopropyl Alcohol". Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Kirk‑Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. doi:10.1002/0471238961.0919151612150719.a01. ISBN 978-0471238966.
  18. ^ CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 44th ed. pp 2143–2184
  19. ^ Market Study Soviet. Ceresana. April 2012
  20. ^ "Sodium Isopropyl Xanthate, SIPX, Xanthate". 3DChem.com. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
  21. ^ "Guide to Local Production: WHO-recommended Handrub Formulations" (PDF). World Health Organization. August 2009.
  22. ^ Otitis Externa (Swimmers Ear). Medical College of Wisconsin
  23. ^ Burlage, Henry M.; Welch, H; Price, CW (2006). "Pharmaceutical applications of isopropyl alcohol II. Solubilities of local anesthetics". Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association. 36 (1): 17–9. doi:10.1002/jps.3030360105. PMID 20285822.
  24. ^ Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (1922). Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, Volume 19. p. 85.
  25. ^ a b "Isopropanol". Sigma-Aldrich. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  26. ^ Mirafzal, Gholam A; Baumgarten, Henry E (1988). "Control of peroxidizable compounds: An addendum". Journal of Chemical Education. 65 (9): A226. Bibcode:1988JChEd..65A.226M. doi:10.1021/ed065pA226.
  27. ^ "Chemical safety: peroxide formation in 2-propanol". Chemical & Engineering News. 94 (31): 2. August 1, 2016.
  28. ^ García-Gavín, Juan; Lissens, Ruth; Timmermans, Ann; Goossens, An (2011-06-17). "Allergic contact dermatitis caused by isopropyl alcohol: a missed allergen?". Contact Dermatitis. 65 (2): 101–106. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.2011.01936.x. ISSN 0105-1873. PMID 21679194.
  29. ^ McInnes, A (1973-02-10). "Skin reaction to isopropyl alcohol". British Medical Journal. 1 (5849): 357. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.5849.357-c. ISSN 0007-1447. PMC 1588210. PMID 4265463.
  30. ^ a b c d e Slaughter RJ, Mason RW, Beasley DM, Vale JA, Schep LJ (2014). "Isopropanol poisoning". Clinical Toxicology. 52 (5): 470–8. doi:10.3109/15563650.2014.914527. PMID 24815348.
  31. ^ Kalapos, MP (2003). "On the mammalian acetone metabolism: from chemistry to clinical implications". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 1621 (2): 122–39. doi:10.1016/S0304-4165(03)00051-5. PMID 12726989.
  32. ^ "Isopropyl alcohol poisoning". www.uptodate.com. Retrieved 2017-10-10.

External links[edit]