Methyl Ethyl Ketone

Butanone, also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) or ethyl methyl ketone, is an organic compound with the formula CH3C(O)CH2CH3. This colorless liquid ketone has a sharp, sweet odor reminiscent of acetone. It is produced industrially on a large scale, but occurs in nature only in trace amounts. It is partially soluble in water, and is commonly used as an industrial solvent. It is an isomer of another solvent, tetrahydrofuran.

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Application

MEK is also used in the manufacture of plastics and textiles, the manufacture of printing inks, and also in rubber-based industrial cements.  It is also used in the chemical industry as it is a precursor to methyl ethyl ketone peroxide which is itself used as a catalyst to initiate the polymerisation of polyester resins used in fibre-glass reinforced products.

Chemical formula

C4H8O
Molar mass

72.107 g·mol−1
Appearance

Colorless liquid
Odor

Mint or acetone-like
Density

0.8050 g/mL
Melting point

−86 °C (−123 °F; 187 K)
Boiling point

79.64 °C (175.35 °F; 352.79 K)
Solubility in water

27.5 g/100 mL
log P

0.37[
Vapor pressure

78 mmHg (20 °C)
Acidity (pKa)

14.7
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)

−45.58·10−6 cm3/mol
Refractive index (nD)

1.37880
Viscosity

0.43 cP

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