Methyl Ethyl Ketone
- IUPAC Name
- butan-2-one
- Molecular Formula
- C4H8O
- Molecular Weight (g/mol)
- 72.1100
- Synonyms & Trade Names
- Methyl ethyl ketone; MEK; Butanone; 2-Butanone
- Purity / Assay (%)
- 99.5% min
- Grade / Quality Level
- Industrial Grade
Categories
Technical Document
About Methyl Ethyl Ketone
Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), also known as Butanone is a colourless liquid with a sweet and sharp odour of butterscotch and acetone. It is a volatile organic liquid with chemical formula C4H8O. It evaporates into the air and dissolves in water. It is a natural product originates from trees and is found in some fruits and vegetables. It is also found in water, air, soils and hazardous waste sites. Butanone is moderately flammable and even small flame can start a vigorous reaction. Acute inhalation and exposure to methyl ethyl ketone in humans results in eyes, nose, and throat irritation.
Manufacturing Process
MEK is produced by dehydrogenation of secondary butanol in most industries. The gaseous alcohol is fed into reactor containing zinc or copper oxides as catalysts and the reaction takes place at high temperature, around 500ËšC, and low pressure. Hydrogen is flashed off and the condensate is dehydrated by fractionation. MEK separates out from water-ketone azeotrope and is then distilled.
