Benzoylacetone

Chemical properties

Benzoylacetone is a yellowish crystalline flakes or White prismatic crystals and has balsamic odor type of medium strength. M.P: 61℃. B.P: 261℃. Sp.Gr. (liquid) = 1.09. Soluble in hot water, soluble in cold alcohol and oils. Faint, but very tenacious balsamic-sweet, Vanilla-1ike odor of "oriental" fragrance type. Benzoyl acetone is widely used in cosmetic industry, as a flavour and fragrance agent.
Benzoylacetone is formed together with acetophenon and benzoic acid when benzoylacetic acid is boiled with water. It is also a product of the action of sodium ethylate on a mixture of acetone and ethyl benzoate.

The Uses of Benzoylacetone

Benzoylacetone has been used as a 1,3-dicarbonyl compound model for studying keto-enol equilibria in aqueous acid and micellar solutions. Additionally, it has been studied using gas-phase electron diffraction and quantum chemistry. It is used as pharmaceutical intermediates.

Preparation

From Acetophenone plus Ethylacetate plus Sodium ethoxide, or directly by Acetylation of Acetophenone.

Synthesis Reference(s)

Chemistry Letters, 9, p. 257, 1980
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 75, p. 626, 1953 DOI: 10.1021/ja01099a031
Tetrahedron Letters, 37, p. 3885, 1996 DOI: 10.1016/0040-4039(96)00689-2

Safety Profile

Moderately toxic by ingestion.When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke andirritating vapors.

Purification Methods

Crystallise benzoylacetone from Et2O or MeOH and dry it under vacuum at 40o. [Beilstein 7 IV 2151.]