Vinylacetylene
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vinylacetylene is the organic compound with the formula C4H4 or H2C=CHâCâ¡CH. The colourless gas was once used in the polymer industry. It is composed of both alkyne and alkene groups and is the simplest enyne.
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name
But-1-en-3-yne | |
Other names
| |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
|
| ChEBI | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.010.650 |
PubChem CID |
|
| UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
|
| |
| |
| Properties | |
| H2C=CHâCâ¡CH | |
| Molar mass | 52.07456 g/mol |
| Appearance | colourless gas |
| Boiling point | 0 to 6 °C (32 to 43 °F; 273 to 279 K) |
| low | |
| Hazards | |
| Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH): | |
Main hazards |
Very flammable. Extremely dangerous because it can explode, even without air. |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| Flash point | < â5 °C (23 °F; 268 K) |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
| |
Safety
Vinylacetylene is extremely dangerous because in high enough concentrations (typically > 30 mole percent, but pressure dependent) it can auto-detonate (explode without air being present) especially at elevated pressures, such as those seen in chemical plants processing C4 hydrocarbons (hydrocarbons with 4 carbon atoms).[2] An example of such an explosion occurred at a Union Carbide plant in Texas City in 1969.[3]
Synthesis
Vinylacetylene was first synthesized by Hofmann elimination of the related quaternary ammonium salt:[4]
- [(CH3)3N+âCH2âCH=CHâCH2âN+(CH3)3](Iâ)2 â 2 [(CH3)3NH]+Iâ + H2C=CHâCâ¡CH
It is usually synthesized by dehydrohalogenation of 1,3-dichloro-2-butene ClâCH2âCH=CClâCH3.[5]
It also arises via the dimerization of acetylene, which is catalyzed by copper(I) chloride.[6]
Dehydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene is yet another route.[citation needed]
Application
At one time, chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene), an industrially important monomer, was produced via the intermediacy of vinyl acetylene.[7] In this process, acetylene is dimerized to give vinyl acetylene, which is then combined with hydrogen chloride to give 4-chloro-1,2-butadiene via 1,4-addition. This allene derivative which, in the presence of cuprous chloride, rearranges to 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene:[8]
- H2C=CHâCâ¡CH + HCl â H2ClCâCH=C=CH2
- H2ClCâCH=C=CH2 â H2C=CHâCCl=CH2



