3-METHYLPENTANE

Chemical properties

colourless liquid

Chemical properties

3-Methylpentane, C6H14, is a colorless, flammable liquid with specific gravity 0.664. It occurs in petroleum and natural gas, and may be released to the environment in evaporative losses, wastewater, spills, and combustion exhaust.

Physical properties

Clear, colorless, flammable liquid with an odor similar to hexane, heptane, and similar aliphatic hydrocarbons. An odor threshold concentration of 8.9 ppm_v was reported by Nagata and Takeuchi (1990).

The Uses of 3-METHYLPENTANE

3-Methylpentane is a component of three typical commercial hexanes, obtained from the fractionation of natural gas liquids, a refinery operation involving hydrogenation, and a stream meeting polymerization. Other than for fuel, it is used in extraction of oil from seeds and as a solvent and reaction medium in the manufacture of polyolefins, synthetic rubbers, and some pharmaceuticals.

The Uses of 3-METHYLPENTANE

Organic synthesis, solvent.

The Uses of 3-METHYLPENTANE

3-Methylpentane is used as a solvent in the preparation of vegetable oils, glues, coatings, and paints. It is also used in gasoline, rubber solvent, and petroleum ether.

What are the applications of Application

3-Methylpentane is A simple alkyl compound

Definition

ChEBI: 3-methylpentane is an alkane that is pentane which is substituted by a methyl group at position 3. It is used as a solvent in organic synthesis, as a lubricant and as a raw material for producing carbon black. It has a role as a human metabolite, an allelochemical and a non-polar solvent. It is an alkane and a volatile organic compound.

Hazard

Flammable, dangerous fire risk.

Safety Profile

May have narcotic or anesthetic properties. A very dangerous fire hazard when exposed to heat or flame; can react vigorously with oxidizing materials. Explosive in the form of vapor when exposed to heat or flame. To fight fire, use foam, CO2, dry chemical. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Source

Schauer et al. (1999) reported 3-methylpentane in a diesel-powered medium-duty truck exhaust at an emission rate of 670 μg/km.
California Phase II reformulated gasoline contained 3-methylpentane at a concentration of 22.7 g/kg. Gas-phase tailpipe emission rates from gasoline-powered automobiles with and without catalytic converters were 3.76 and 512 mg/km, respectively (Schauer et al., 2002).

Environmental Fate

Photolytic. The following rate constants were reported for the reaction of 3-methylpentane and OH radicals in the atmosphere: 4.30 x 10^-9 cm³/molecule?sec at 300 K (Darnall et al., 1976); 6.8 x 10^-12 cm³/molecule?sec at 305 K (Darnall et al., 1978); 5.7 x 10^-12 cm³/molecule?sec (Altshuller, 1991).
Chemical/Physical. Complete combustion in air produces carbon dioxide and water vapor. 3- Methylpentane will not hydrolyze because it does not contain a hydrolyzable functional group.

Purification Methods

Purify it by azeotropic distillation with MeOH, as for 2-methylpentane. Purify it for ultraviolet spectroscopy by passing it through columns of silica gel or alumina activated by heating for 8hours at 210o under a stream of nitrogen. Alternatively treat it with conc (or fuming) H2SO4, then wash it with water, aqueous 5% NaOH, water again, then dry (CaCl2, then sodium), and distil it through a long, glass helices-packed, column. [Beilstein 1 IV 363.]