Ammonium acetate

Description

Ammonium acetate (NH4OAc) is a commonly used ammonium salt that can be produced by the reaction of ammonia and acetic acid. NH4OAc is mostly used as a buffer solution, buffering near pH 4.75 (pKa for acetic acid) and pH 9.25 (pKa for ammonium). NH4OAc is also used in the Henley reaction.

Chemical properties

Ammonium acetate is a white, deliquescent crystalline solid with a slightly acetic odor. It is used as a reagent in analytical chemistry for determining lead and iron content，a chemical intermediate in manufacturing acetamide. It is also a diuretic in veterinary medicine, in other drugs, in textile dyeing, in meat preservative, in foam rubbers, in vinyl plastics, in stripping explosives, and in determining lead and iron content.

Physical properties

White crystalline solid; deliquescent; melts at 114°C; decomposes at elevated temperatures; density 1.17 g/cm³ at 20°C, density of a 10% solution 1.022 g/mL, and a 50% solution 1.092 g/mL; very soluble in cold water (1,480 g/L at 4°C); also soluble in cold alcohol and acetone (78.9 g/L in methanol at 15°C); solution loses ammonia on standing and becomes acidic.

The Uses of Ammonium acetate

Ammonium acetate is used in the manufacture of acetamide and as a diuretic and diaphoretic in medical applications. The wool industry also uses this salt as a dye mordant.
Buffer solution; determination of lead and iron; separating lead sulfate from other sulfates.

The Uses of Ammonium acetate

NH4OAc (316 mg, 4.10 mmol) was added to a solution of the SM (2.00 g, 6.84 mmol) in nitromethane (517 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred at 60 C for 18 h. The mixture was quenched with H2O and DCM was added. The layers were separated and the org layer was washed with brine, dried (MgSO4), and concentrated to give an orange oil. The material (1.8 g) was purified by Prep LC (50 g silica, 0-5% EtOAc/heptane) to provide the product as a yellow oil. [750 mg, 33%]

The Uses of Ammonium acetate

Ammonium acetate is a reagent used in chromatographic analysis of various compounds such as oligos, proteins, and peptides. It is also employed with acetic acid to provide a buffer solution. Generally it behaves as a catalyst in many reactions like Knoevenagel, Borch. It is also employed as a nutrient additive.

The Uses of Ammonium acetate

Ammonium acetate solution can be used to study molecular biology, biological buffers, reagents and DNA and RNA purification. Ammonium acetate solution has been used to study pharmacokinetic analysis of α and β epimers of glycyrrhetinic acid in rat plasma. Ammonium acetate solution has also been used in a study to develop a method for the simultaneous determination of aristolochic acids A and B in some Chinese herbals and traditional Chinese patent medicines.

What are the applications of Application

Ammonium Acetate is a reagent used in chromatographic analysis of various compounds, such as oligos, proteins, and peptides. Its 5M solution is an important reagent for the study of molecular biology.

Preparation

Ammonium acetate is manufactured by neutralizing acetic acid with ammonium carbonate or by passing ammonia gas into glacial acetic acid. Acidic ammonium acetate, CH3CO2NH4.CH3CO2H[25007-86-7], is manufactured by dissolving the neutral salt in acetic acid.

Definition

ChEBI: Ammonium acetate is an ammonium salt obtained by reaction of ammonia with acetic acid. A deliquescent white crystalline solid, it has a relatively low melting point (114℃) for a salt. Used as a food acidity regulator, although no longer approved for this purpose in the EU. It has a role as a food acidity regulator and a buffer. It is an acetate salt and an ammonium salt.

General Description

A white crystalline solid. The primary hazard is the threat to the environment. Immediate steps should be taken to limit its spread to the environment. Ammonium acetate is used in chemical analysis, in pharmaceuticals, in preserving foods, and for other uses.

Reactivity Profile

Ammonium acetate causes the decomposition of sodium hypochlorite within a few seconds [Mellor 2 Supp. 1:550 1956].

Health Hazard

Inhalation of dust irritates nose and mouth. Ingestion irritates mouth and stomach. Contact with dust causes irritation of eyes and mild irritation of skin.

Fire Hazard

Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Irritating vapors of ammonia acetic acid, and nitrogen oxides may form in fires.

Flammability and Explosibility

Non flammable

Biochem/physiol Actions

Ammonium acetate can be used in proteinaceous baits and in beer waste to increase their attraction to Ceratitis capitate. It helps in the progression of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation when it is used as the only nitrogen source.

Safety Profile

Poison by intravenous route. Moderately toxic by intraperitoneal route. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of NO, and NH3

Potential Exposure

Ammonium acetate is used as a chemical reagent, to make drugs; foam rubber; vinyl plastics; explosives, and to preserve foods. An environmental threat.

Shipping

UN3077 Environmentally hazardous substances, solid, n.o.s., Hazard class: 9; Labels: 9-Miscellaneous hazardous material, Technical Name Required.

Incompatibilities

Combustible solid. Incompatible with oxidizers (chlorates, nitrates, peroxides, permanganates, perchlorates, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.); contact may cause fires or explosions. Keep away from alkaline materials, strong bases, strong acids, oxoacids, epoxides, sodium hypochlorite, potassium chlorate, sodium nitrite.