Industrial solvents methyl ethyl ketone

Butanediol, otherwise known as 2,3-butylene glycol (2,3-BD), is a valuable chemical feedstock because of its application as a solvent, liquid fuel and as a precursor of many synthetic polymers and resins. With a heating value of 27,200 J/g, 2,3-BD conq>ares favorably with ethanol (29,100 J/g) and methanol (22,100 J/g) for use as a liquid fuel and fUel additive (213). Dehydration of 2,3-BD yieldsthe industrial solvent methyl ethyl ketone which is much more suited as a fuel because of its much lower boiling point. Further dehydration yields... 

Both acetone and 2-butanone (known in industry as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) are excellent solvents for a variety of organic compounds. These polar solvents dissolve polar solutes because like dissolves like. Acetone is especially effective in dissolving protic solutes such as alcohols and carboxylic acids because the carbonyl group acts as a hydrogen bond acceptor for these compounds. 

Synthol coproducts include alcohols, ketones, and lower paraffins. They are used mainly as solvents in the paint and printing industries, although some alcohols are blended into fuels. In 1992 Sasol began producing 17,500 t/yr 1-butanol [71-36-3] from 5-07-acetaldehyde [75-07-0] and plaimed to start a plant to produce high purity ethanol [64-17-5] in 1993. Acetone [67-64-1] and methyl ethyl ketone [78-93-3] are two ketone coproducts sold as solvents. 

Ketones are an important class of industrial chemicals that have found widespread use as solvents and chemical intermediates. Acetone (qv) is the simplest and most important ketone and finds ubiquitous use as a solvent. Higher members of the aUphatic methyl ketone series (eg, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, and methyl amyl ketone) are also industrially significant solvents. Cyclohexanone is the most important cycHc ketone and is primarily used in the manufacture of y-caprolactam for nylon-6 (see Cyclohexanoland cyclohexanone). Other ketones find appHcation in fields as diverse as fragrance formulation and metals extraction. Although the industrially important ketones are reviewed herein, the laboratory preparation of ketones is covered elsewhere (1). 

Uses Manufacture of flotation agents, esters (perfumes and flavors), dyestuffs, wetting agents ingredient in industrial cleaners and paint removers preparation of methyl ethyl ketone solvent in lacquers in hydraulic brake fluids organic synthesis. 

The use of solvents in the chemical industry and in the chemical-related industries is ubiquitous. Beyond chemical industries, solvent use has become an integral part of life in the twenty-first century. In 1991, the production of the 25 most commonly used solvents was more than 26 million tons per year. According to EPCRA section 313 data, of the chemicals and chemical categories tracked by the program in 1994, five of the top 10 chemicals released or disposed of were solvents, and included methanol, toluene, xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, and dichloromethane. The total quantity of these chemicals released or disposed of was over 687 million pounds, which accounts for 27% of the total quantity of TRl-listed chemicals released and disposed of in that year (Sullivan, 1997). 

The solvent employed in the first commercial installation, of the Indian Refining Co., was a mixture of acetone and benzene (90% grade). In the subsequent development of the process by The Texas Co., a large number of solvents were found to be satisfactory. At present, the process normally employs a mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and industrial grade benzene, which have been found to be admirably suitable and provide a relatively low cost solvent. Toluene is substituted for all or part of the benzene when low chilling temperatures are required to obtain oils of very low pour point, as benzene may crystallize out from the mixture at these lower temperatures. 

Ethylene glycol in the presence of an acid catalyst readily reacts with aldehydes and ketones to form cyclic acetals and ketals (60). 1,3-Dioxolane [646-06-0] is the product of condensing formaldehyde and ethylene glycol. Applications for 1,3-dioxolane are as a solvent replacement for methylene chloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and methyl ethyl ketone as a solvent for polymers as an inhibitor in 1,1,1-trichloroethane as a polymer or matrix interaction product for metal working and electroplating in lithium batteries and in the electronics industry (61). 1,3-Dioxolane can also be used in the formation of polyacetals, both for homopolymerization and as a comonomer with formaldehyde. Cyclic acetals and ketals are used as protecting groups for reaction-sensitive aldehydes and ketones in natural product synthesis and pharmaceuticals (62). 

Printing ink PRESSURE MEASUREMENT] (Vol 20) solvents for [SOLVENTS, INDUSTRIAL] (Vol 22) use of methyl ethyl ketone m [KETONES] (Vol 14)... 

Low molecular weight aldehydes and ketones are used in the manufacture of resins, dyes, esters, and other organic chemicals. Many ketones including acetone and methyl ethyl ketone are industrial solvents. Some of the compounds that are used commercially are presented in Table 2.1.1. Mary aldehydes and ketones are emitted into the atmosphere from chemical and combustion processes. Photochemical degradation of many organic substances also generates lower aldehydes and ketones. 

For commercial printing onto nonporous, hydrophobic materials such as plastics, metals, and glass, rapidly drying solvent inks which adhere to these substrates are needed. A typical solvent for these applications is methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). However, alternative alcoholic solvents tike ethanol and N-propanol have been introduced for ecological and safety reasons. The predominant color for industrial marking is black, and solvent soluble 2 1 azo chromium(m) complex, polyazo, Nigrosine, and sulfur dyes are used. Typical formulation of an... 

More than 4.5 million metric t of solvents is used in the United States annually, and it has been suggested by industry experts that ethyl lactate could replace conventional solvents in more than 80% of these applications (34). Vertec Biosolvents Inc. is currently using ethyl lactate in soy oil-solvent blends. Applications targeted by Vertec Biosolvents include conventional solvents that are under environmental scrutiny such as methylene chloride, methyl ethyl ketone, and N-methyl pyrrolidone (36). Table 3 lists the selling prices of some common solvents. 

Acetone is the most important commercial ketone, with over 3 billion kilograms used each year. Both acetone and methyl ethyl ketone (butan-2-one) are common industrial solvents. These ketones dissolve a wide range of organic materials, have convenient boiling points for easy distillation, and have low toxicities. 

P10-8b Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is an important industrial solvent that can be produced from the dehydrogenation of butan-2-01 (Bu) over a zinc oxide catalyst [Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 27, 2050 (1988)] ... 

Use Preparation of methyl ethyl ketone, solvent, organic synthesis, paint removers, industrial cleaners. 

Figure 3 shows two of these resins in a conventional vinyl solvent, i.e., MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) note their significantly reduced solubility. Because of the limitations cited previously, only a very small segment of the homopolymers of vinyl chloride produced today find their way into the solvent coatings industry. Two of their main applications are in cast films (for packing) and in topcoats for calendered and plastisol (cast) sheet goods. 

OTHER COMMENTS used in the preparation of methyl ethyl ketone useful as a solvent for many natural resins, linseed and castor oils has also been used in the synthesis of perfumes, dyestuffs, flavors, flotation and wetting agents use in paint removers and industrial... 

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