Isobutyrophenone

Chemical properties

clear colorless to very slightly yellow liquid

The Uses of Isobutyrophenone

Isobutyrophenone is used as an internal standard in the determination of hydroxyzine hydrochloride and benzyl alcohol in injection solutions. It is also used in the preparation of alpha-hydroxyisobutyrophenone. Isobutyrophenone is employed as photosensitizer intermediate. It can react with bromoacetic acid ethyl ester to get 3-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-phenyl-valeric acid ethyl ester.

Preparation

Isobutyrophenone synthesis: Benzene underwent a Friedel–Crafts acylation with isobutyryl chloride to synthesize isobutyrophenone. The reaction was performed using excess benzene as a replacement for a typical solvent and heat to reflux (88 °C) for a period of 3 hours. Any unreacted benzene was recovered after the reaction during the distillation process. A 66 % yield of isobutyrophenone was obtained from the solar synthesis, compared to a 44 % yield from an in-lab, electrical heating analysis.

Synthesis Reference(s)

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 71, p. 1061, 1949 DOI: 10.1021/ja01171a084
The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 32, p. 404, 1967 DOI: 10.1021/jo01288a032
Tetrahedron Letters, 14, p. 2491, 1973

Flammability and Explosibility

Non flammable