Methyl vinyl ketone (MVK, IUPAC name: butenone) is the

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. T ...

with the formula CH₃C(O)CH=CH₂. It is a reactive compound classified as an enone, in fact the simplest example thereof. It is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic liquid with a pungent odor. It is soluble in water and polar organic solvents. It is a useful intermediate in the synthesis of other compounds.

Production

MVK has been prepared industrially by the condensation of

acetone Acetone (2-propanone or dimethyl ketone), is an organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest and smallest ketone (). It is a colorless, highly volatile and flammable liquid with a characteristic pungent odour. Acetone is miscib ...

and

formaldehyde Formaldehyde ( , ) (systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula and structure . The pure compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde (refer to section ...

, followed by

dehydration In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water, with an accompanying disruption of metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake, usually due to exercise, disease, or high environmental temperature. Mil ...

. Similarly it is prepared by the

Mannich reaction In organic chemistry, the Mannich reaction is a three-component organic reaction that involves the amino alkylation of an acidic proton next to a carbonyl () functional group by formaldehyde () and a primary or secondary amine () or ammonia (). ...

involving diethylammonium chloride and acetone, which produces the Mannich adduct: :CH₃C(O)CH₃ + CH₂O + ₂NEt₂l → H₃C(O)CH₂CH₂N(H)Et₂l + H₂O Heating this ammonium salt releases the ammonium chloride and the MVK: : H₃C(O)CH₂CH₂N(H)Et₂l → CH₃C(O)CH=CH₂ + ₂NEt₂l

Reactivity and applications

MVK can act as an

alkylating agent Alkylation is the transfer of an alkyl group from one molecule to another. The alkyl group may be transferred as an alkyl carbocation, a free radical, a carbanion, or a carbene (or their equivalents). Alkylating agents are reagents for effectin ...

because it is an effective

Michael acceptor In organic chemistry, the Michael reaction or Michael addition is a reaction between a Michael donor (an enolate or other nucleophile) and a Michael acceptor (usually an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl) to produce a Michael adduct by creating a carbo ...

. It gained early attention for its use in the

Robinson annulation The Robinson annulation is a chemical reaction used in organic chemistry for ring formation. It was discovered by Robert Robinson in 1935 as a method to create a six membered ring by forming three new carbon–carbon bonds. The method uses a keto ...

, a method useful in the preparation of steroids: Reaction Scheme for Robinson Annulation

Its alkylating ability is both the source of its high toxicity and the feature that makes it a useful intermediate in organic synthesis. MVK will

polymerize In polymer chemistry, polymerization (American English), or polymerisation (British English), is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form polymer chains or three-dimensional networks. There are many for ...

spontaneously. The compound is typically stored with

hydroquinone Hydroquinone, also known as benzene-1,4-diol or quinol, is an aromatic organic compound that is a type of phenol, a derivative of benzene, having the chemical formula C6H4(OH)2. It has two hydroxyl groups bonded to a benzene ring in a ''para' ...

, which inhibits polymerization. vinclozolin

As an electrophilic alkene, it forms an adduct with cyclopentadiene. The resulting norbornene

derivative In mathematics, the derivative of a function of a real variable measures the sensitivity to change of the function value (output value) with respect to a change in its argument (input value). Derivatives are a fundamental tool of calculus. ...

is an intermediate in the synthesis of the

anticholinergic Anticholinergics (anticholinergic agents) are substances that block the action of the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine (ACh) at synapses in the central and peripheral nervous system. These agents inhibit the parasympathetic nervous sys ...

drug

biperiden Biperiden, sold under the brand name Akineton among others, is a medication used to treat Parkinson disease and certain drug-induced movement disorders. It is not recommended for tardive dyskinesias. It is taken by mouth, injection into a vein, ...

. Via its

cyanohydrin In organic chemistry, a cyanohydrin or hydroxynitrile is a functional group found in organic compounds in which a cyano and a hydroxy group are attached to the same carbon atom. The general formula is , where R is H, alkyl, or aryl. Cyanohydr ...

is also a precursor to

vinclozolin Vinclozolin (trade names Ronilan, Curalan, Vorlan, Touche) is a common Dicarboximide fungicides, dicarboximide fungicide used to control diseases, such as blights, rots and molds in vineyards, and on fruits and vegetables such as raspberries, let ...

. It is also a precursor to synthetic

vitamin A Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient for humans. It is a group of organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal (also known as retinaldehyde), retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably ...

. MVK is an intermediate in the synthesis of some pharmaceutical drugs including

etorphine Etorphine (M99) is a semi-synthetic opioid possessing an analgesic potency approximately 1,000–3,000 times that of morphine. It was first prepared in 1960 from oripavine, which does not generally occur in opium poppy extract but rather the r ...

buprenorphine Buprenorphine is an opioid used to treat opioid use disorder, acute pain, and chronic pain. It can be used under the tongue (sublingual), in the cheek (buccal), by injection (intravenous and subcutaneous), as a skin patch (transdermal ...

, tolquinzole,

butaclamol Butaclamol (AY-23,028) is a typical antipsychotic which was never marketed. Sold as the hydrochloride salt for use in research, the compound acts as a dopamine receptor Dopamine receptors are a class of G protein-coupled receptors that are pro ...

, and etretinate.

Safety

MVK is extremely hazardous upon inhalation causing coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath even at low concentrations. It will also readily cause irritation of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.

References

External links

NJ Hazardous Substance Factsheet for methyl vinyl ketone

MSDS for methyl vinyl ketone

Compilation of Henry's law constants for inorganic and organic species of potential importance in environmental chemistry
Sander, R. 1999-04-08. {{Authority control Alkylating agents Vinyl compounds Enones Pulmonary agents