METHYL ETHYL KETONE (MEK)

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Methyl Ethyl Ketone also known as Butanone, abbreviated as MEK, is an organic compound with the formula CH3C(O)CH2CH3, a colorless liquid with an acetone-like odor. It is produced industrially on a large scale, exists in nature only in trace amounts, is soluble in water and is often used as an industrial solvent.

1. Properties:
– Molecular formula: C4H8O

– Molecular mass: 72.11g/mol

– Appearance: Colorless, transparent liquid

– Smell: Sweet, similar to acetone

– Density: 0.805 g/cm3

– Freezing temperature: -86oC

– Boiling temperature: 79.64oC

– Solubility in water: 275g/L

– Steam pressure: 30 kPa

– Viscosity: 0.43 cP

2. Production:

One way to produce MEK is by oxidation of 2-Butanol. In this method, 2-Butanol is dehydrogenated in the presence of metals such as Copper, Zinc, or Brass:

CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CH₃ → CH₃C(O)CH₂CH₃ + H₂

Several other methods were also tried but were not successful, including 2-butene oxidation and isobutylbenzene oxidation.

MEK is also produced by plants, it is found in some fruits and vegetables in low amounts.

3. Application

It is a common solvent for dissolving gums, resins, cellulose acetate, nitrocellulose, and vinyl. Because of this ability, it is used in the production of plastics, in the textile industry, and in the production of paraffin wax, in oil paints, varnishes, paint removers, in the production of glues and as a cleaning agent, used to dissolve polystyrene. It has properties similar to acetone but has a significantly slower evaporation rate.