Boiling point 58.2 °C Formula C3H2F6O Appearance Colorless liquid | Density 1.6 g/cm³ Molar mass 168.05 g/mol | |
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Hexafluoroisopropanol, commonly abbreviated HFIP, is the organic compound with the formula (CF3)2CHOH. This fluorinated alcohol finds use as solvent and synthetic intermediate. It appears as a colorless, volatile liquid that is characterized by a strong, pungent odor. As a solvent hexafluoro-2-propanol is polar and exhibits strong hydrogen bonding properties enabling it to dissolve substances that serve as hydrogen-bond acceptors, such as amides and ethers. Hexafluoro-2-propanol is transparent to UV light with high density, low viscosity and low refractive index.
Contents
Production and uses
Hexafluoro-2-propanol is prepared from hexafluoropropylene via hexafluoroacetone, which is reduced by catalytic hydrogenation or by hydride reagents.
(CF3)2CO + H2 → (CF3)2CHOHHexafluoro-2-propanol is a speciality solvent for some polar polymers and organic synthesis. It is especially effective for solubilizing a wide range of polymers, including those that are not soluble in the most common organic solvents, such as: polyamides, polyacrylonitriles, polyacetals, polyesters (e.g. polyglycolide), and polyketones. It has also found use in biochemistry to solubilize peptides and to monomerize β-sheet protein aggregates. Because of its acidity (pKa = 9.3), it can be used as acid in volatile buffers for ion pair HPLC - mass spectrometry of nucleic acids.
Medicine
It is both the precursor and the chief metabolite of the inhalation anesthetic sevoflurane.
Safety
Hexafluoro-2-propanol is a volatile, corrosive liquid that can cause severe burns and respiratory problems.