FORMALDEHYDE CYANOHYDRIN

PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

CAS NO. 107-16-4

FORMALDEHYDE CYANOHYDRIN

EINECS NO. 203-469-1
FORMULA OHCH2CN
MOL WT. 57.05
H.S. CODE 2926.90

TOXICITY

SYNONYMS Glycolonitrile; Cyanomethanol; Glycolic nitrile;
Glyconitrile; Hydroxyacetonitrile; Hydroxyactonitrile; Hydroxymethylnitrile; 2-Hydroxyacetonitrile; 2-Hydroxyethanenitrile; Glykolonitril (German); Hydroxymethylkyanid; Glicolonitrilo (Spanish); Glycolonitrile (French);
SMILES

CLASSIFICATION

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

PHYSICAL STATE Clear to pale yellow liquid
MELTING POINT < -72 C
BOILING POINT
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
SOLUBILITY IN WATER miscible

SOLVENT SOLUBILITY

Soluble: alcohol, ether, acetone, benzene; Insoluble: petroleum ether

AUTOIGNITION

pH

2 - 3 (10% Sol.)

VAPOR DENSITY
NFPA RATINGS Health: 4 Flammability: 2 Reactivity: 2
FLASH POINT

STABILITY Stable under ordinary conditions.

APPLICATIONS

Cyanohydrins are organic compounds which contain both cyano and hydroxyl groups linked to the same carbon atom usually. Cyanohydrins are obtained from the reactions of aldehydes (or ketones) with hydrogen cyanide in base.  They are versatile intermediates for the synthesis of organic compounds including amino nitriles; alpha-hydroxy acids, esters and amides; alpha-, beta- unsaturated acids, esters, nitriles as well as beta-aminoalcohols. Formaldehyde cyanohydrin is used to manufacture insecticides, pharmaceuticals and flavouring agents. It is used to prepare certain organic chemicals such as chelating agents.
SALES SPECIFICATION

50% SOLUTION IN WATER

APPEARANCE

Clear to pale yellow liquid
CONTENT

45 - 50%

HYDROCYANIC ACID

3.0% min

TRANSPORTATION
PACKING 180kgs in drum
HAZARD CLASS 6.1 (Packing group: I)
UN NO. 3276
OTHER INFORMATION
Hazard Symbols: T+, Risk Phrases: 26/27/28, Safety Phrases: 36/37/39-45
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF NITRILE
Nitrile is an organic compounds containing cyano group (-C》N, containing trivalent nitrogen) which is attached to one carbon atom with the general formula RC》N. Their names are corresponding to carboxylic acids by changing '-ic acid' to the suffix, '-onitrile' which denotes only the 》N atom (triply bound) excluding the carbon atom attached to it, or  the suffix, '-carbonitrile' where the carbon atom in the -CN is included, whichever preserves a single letter O. Examples are acetonitrile from acetic acid and benzonitrile from benzoic acid. The prefix,  'cyano-' is used as an alternative naming system to indicate the presence of a nitrile group in a molecule for the compounds of salts and organic derivatives of hydrogen cyanide (HC》N). Isocyanides are salts and hydrocarbyl derivatives from the isomer, HN+》C-. Sodium cyanide, NaCN; potassium cyanide, KCN; calcium cyanide, Ca(CN)2; and hydrocyanic (or prussic) acid, HCN are examples. Chemically, the simple inorganic cyanides resemble chlorides in many ways. Organic nitriles act as solvents and are reacted further for various application including;

  · Extraction solvent for fatty acids, oils and unsaturated hydrocarbons
  · Solvent for spinning and casting and extractive distillation based on its     selective miscibility with organic compounds.
  · Removing agent of colouring matters and aromatic alcohols
  · Non-aqueous solvent for titrations and for inorganic salts
  · Recrystallization of steroids
  · Parent compound for organic synthesis
  · Solvent or chemical intermediate in biochemistry (protein sequencing and DNA synthesis)
  · High-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis
  · Catalyst and component of transition-metal complex catalysts
  · Stabilizer for chlorinated solvents
  · Chemical intermediate and solvent for perfumes and pharmaceuticals