Table of Contents
What is Ketene?
Ketene is a molecule that has the formula C2H2O. It is a colourless gas with a pungent, unpleasant smell. Ketene is used in the production of acrylonitrile, which is used in the production of plastics and synthetic rubber. Ketene – History Preparation Properties Uses and Synthesis.
History of Ketene Chemistry
The ketene molecule was first discovered in 1876 by the French chemist Charles-Adolphe Wurtz. Wurtz was investigating the structure of benzene and noticed that when he heated benzene with potassium hydroxide, a new gaseous compound was formed. He called this compound ketene.
The structure of ketene was not determined until 1904, when the English chemist Alfred Werner determined that ketene was a carbon-carbon double bond.
The ketene molecule is relatively unstable and undergoes a variety of reactions. One common reaction is the addition of hydrogen to form acetylene.
Preparation of Ketenes
Ketenes can be prepared by various methods, but the most common method is the reaction of an alkyne with an organic halide. In the presence of a base, the alkyne and organic halide react to form a ketene and an alkyl halide.
Properties and Ketene Uses
Ketene is a colorless, flammable gas with a pungent odor. It is soluble in water and has a boiling point of -23.7 °C. It is used as a reagent in organic synthesis, as a blowing agent in plastics, and as a fuel.
Synthesis of Ketene
The synthesis of ketene can be accomplished by the reaction of acetone with a strong acid, such as sulfuric acid.
The first step in the synthesis of ketene is the reaction of acetone with a strong acid, such as sulfuric acid. In this reaction, acetone is converted to acetylsulfonic acid, which then undergoes a dehydration reaction to form ketene.
Ketene – History Preparation Properties Uses and Synthesis.
