Acuyo - 5-3-2017 at 16:04
Can someone tell me what the likely product of an excess of equal parts water and acetone; and then about equal "denatured alcohol" ethanol under heat
(~60c)would be? Mildly acidic conditions, probably PH 5.5 - 6.
The ethanol was a mistake and a very distinct odor was apparent, not sure what was created, I assume it's the product of (CH3)2CO and EtOH, but
that's exactly an assumption and I can't add atoms yet.
thx?
DraconicAcid - 5-3-2017 at 16:05
Acetone will not react with ethanol, even with mild acid and mild heat.
Acuyo - 5-3-2017 at 16:11
how about methanol?
same?
[Edited on 6-3-2017 by Acuyo]
gluon47 - 5-3-2017 at 20:15
This almost certainly didn't happen in your case, but under the right conditions, acetone and ethanol do reversibly react to form a hemiacetal/acetal.
An acid catalyst and some way to remove the water and drive the equilibrium forward are needed.
C2H5OH + (CH3)2CO ==> (CH3)2C(OC2H5)OH
2 ROH + (CH3)2CO <==> (CH3)2C(OC2H5)2 + H2O
I actually tried this reaction out a while ago in the hope of isolating the acetal product, Diethoxymethane. All I got was a thick yellowish liquid
with a distinct pleasant smell that I cannot remember in detail.