Density 1.01 g/cm³ Melting point 18.6 °C | Boiling point 218 °C Appearance Colorless liquid | |
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Propiophenone (shorthand: benzoylethane or BzEt) is an aryl ketone. It is a colorless, sweet-smelling liquid that is insoluble in water, but miscible with organic solvents. It is used in the preparation of other compounds.
Contents
Production
Propiophenone can be prepared by Friedel–Crafts reaction of propionic acid and benzene. It is also prepared commercially by ketonization of benzoic acid and propionic acid over calcium acetate and alumina at 450–550 °C:
C6H5CO2H + CH3CH2CO2H → C6H5C(O)CH2CH3 + CO2 + H2OLudwig Claisen discovered that α-methoxystyrene forms this compound when heated for an hour at 300 °C (65% yield).
Uses
It is an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and organic compounds. It can also be used in the synthesis of aryl alkenes, such as phenylpropanoids. With a flowery odor, propiophenone is a component in some perfumes.
Propiophenone can be used in the synthesis of a variety of pharmaceutical drugs:
- Stimulants: PPA, ephedrine, cathinone, methcathinone, metamfepramone, amfepramone, phenmetrazine.
- Cathinone analogs of fenfluramine & tiflorex in EP 0007843A1 .
- Analgesia: dextropropoxyphene, pyrroliphene, etoxadrol,
- Antitussive/bronchial: diphepanol, eprazinone,
- Red links: oxifenamate, flumecinol, iminophenimide, and bencisteine.
Not propiophenone proper, but based on this core structure:
- Muscle Relaxants: Inaperisone, Tolperisone.
- Synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen: paroxypropione
- PAPP (Poison)
- Flopropione
