4-Ethylpyridine

Chemical properties

clear colorless to yellowish liquid. Very powerful, sweet-green, in the pure state nauseating, in dilution slightly minty odour with sweet-herbaceous, mildly tarrypungent undertones. There is a certain similarity between the odour of mushrooms and dry-rotted wood. In suitable dilution, actually, a pleasant odour.

The Uses of 4-Ethylpyridine

4-Ethylpyridine is used to study the influence of counter-anion concentration on analyte retention.

The Uses of 4-Ethylpyridine

4-Ethyl pyridine is used as a monomer in polymer chemistry.
4-Ethylpyridine could find use in perfume compositions since it gives very interesting effects with Vetiver, Oakmoss, Hydroquinone dimethylether, Amylsalicylate, Coumarin, Lavender, etc., and in minute traces in certain florals, e.g. Hyacinth and Tuberose, also for “bouquetting” purposes in floral fragrances describing flowers from the floor of the woods, Muguet, Violet, etc. where the sweet-earthy, fungal notes can be applied artistically with pleasant effect.

Production Methods

4-Ethylpyridine is produced by Wolff-Kishner reduction of 4-Acetylpyridine.

Synthesis Reference(s)

The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 22, p. 694, 1957 DOI: 10.1021/jo01357a607
Tetrahedron Letters, 26, p. 275, 1985 DOI: 10.1016/S0040-4039(01)80795-4

General Description

4-Ethylpyridine undergoes metal-ligand interaction with Zn-porphyrin which can be studied by mass spectrometry.

Contact allergens

4-Ethyl-pyridine is used as a monomer in polymer chemistry

Purification Methods

Dry 4-ethylpyridine with BaO, and fractionally distil it. Also purified by converting to the picrate, recrystalising and the free base is regenerated and distilled. [Beilstein 20/6 V 10.]