The

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

ethyl nitrite is an

alkyl nitrite In organic chemistry, alkyl nitrites are a group of organic compounds based upon the molecular structure , where R represents an alkyl group. Formally they are alkyl esters of nitrous acid. They are distinct from nitro compounds (). The first ...

with a chemical formula C₂H₅NO₂. It may be prepared from

ethanol Ethanol (abbr. EtOH; also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound. It is an alcohol with the chemical formula . Its formula can be also written as or (an ethyl group linked to a ...

. :

Uses

It is used as a reagent with

butanone Butanone, also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), is an organic compound with the formula CH3C(O)CH2CH3. This colourless liquid ketone has a sharp, sweet odor reminiscent of acetone. It is produced industrially on a large scale, but occurs in ...

to yield the dimethylglyoxime end product. Preparation_of_dimethylglyoxime

Ethyl nitrite is the main ingredient in a traditional ethanol-based South African remedy for colds and flu known as ''Witdulsies'', which is sold in pharmacies. It is known as a traditional Afrikaans remedy; the same remedy is apparently made by the

Amish The Amish (; pdc, Amisch; german: link=no, Amische), formally the Old Order Amish, are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German and Alsatian origins. They are closely related to Mennonite churc ...

in the US. However, FDA has blocked over-the-counter sales of this same remedy, known in the US as ''sweet nitrite'' or ''sweet spirit of nitre'', since 1980. Its use has been associated with fatal

methemoglobinemia Methemoglobinemia, or methaemoglobinaemia, is a condition of elevated methemoglobin in the blood. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, poor muscle coordination, and blue-colored skin (cyanosis). Complications ...

Methemoglobinemia Methemoglobinemia, or methaemoglobinaemia, is a condition of elevated methemoglobin in the blood. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, poor muscle coordination, and blue-colored skin (cyanosis). Complications ...

is the primary toxic effect of ethyl nitrite. Due to ethyl nitrite's high volatility and faint smell, in the presence of ethyl nitrite vapors, it is easy to breath a high dose of it without realizing, resulting in methemoglobinemia, which may or may not be severe, or even fatal.

References

External links

WebBook page for ethyl nitrite
{{Nitric oxide signaling Antianginals Antidotes Ethyl esters Alkyl nitrites Traditional medicine