Introduction

Acetonitrile (CAN) is the chemical compound with the formula CH3CN. This colorless liquid is the simplest organic nitrile. It is produced mainly as a byproduct of acrylonitrile manufacture, and is mainly used as a polar aprotic solvent in the purification of butadiene. In the laboratory, it is used as a medium-polarity solvent that is miscible with water and has a convenient liquid range. With a dipole moment of 3.84 D, acetonitrile dissolves a wide range of ionic and nonpolar compounds and is useful as a mobile phase in HPLC and LCMS.

Application

ACN can be used as a vitamin B group extractant, cod liver oil extractant, foaming agent for film, and butadiene extraction solvent.