HEXANE

Hexane
Hexane

Ball-and-stick model of the hexane molecule

Space-filling model of the hexane molecule
General
Other names ''n''-Hexane
Molecular formula C6H14
SMILES CCCCCC
Molar mass 86.18 g/mol
Appearance colorless liquid
CAS number [110-54-3]
Properties
Density and phase 0.6548 g/ml, liquid
Solubility in water immiscible
Melting point −95 °C (178 K)
Boiling point 69 °C (342 K)
Viscosity 0.294 cP at 25 °C
Hazards
MSDS External MSDS
EU classification Flammable ('F')
Harmful ('Xn')
Repr. Cat. 3
Dangerous for
the environment ('N')
NFPA 704
R-phrases , , , ,
, ,
S-phrases , , , , ,
, ,
Flash point −23.3 °C
Autoignition temperature 233.9 °C
Explosive limits 1.2–7.7%
RTECS number MN9275000
Supplementary data page
Structure and
properties
''n'', εr, etc.
Thermodynamic
data
Phase behaviour
Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data UV, IR, NMR, MS
Related compounds
Related alkanes Pentane
Hexanes
Heptane
Related compounds Cyclohexane
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

'Hexane' is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)4CH3. The "hex" prefix refers to its six carbons, while the "ane" ending indicates that its carbons are connected by single bonds. Hexane isomers are largely unreactive, and are frequently used as an inert solvent in organic reactions because they are very non-polar. They are also common constituents of gasoline and glues used for shoes, leather products and roofing. Additionally, it is used in solvents to extract oils for cooking and as a cleansing agent for shoe, furniture and textile manufacturing.

Contents
Isomers
Production
Toxicity
See also
References
External links

Isomers


Hexane has five isomers:

★ Hexane, CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3, a straight chain of six carbon atoms.

2-Methylpentane (Isohexane), CH3CH(CH3)CH2CH2CH3, a five-carbon chain with one methyl branch on the second.

3-Methylpentane, CH3CH2CH(CH3)CH2CH3, a five-carbon chain with one methyl branch on the third.

2,3-Dimethylbutane, CH3CH(CH3)CH(CH3)CH3, a four-carbon chain with one methyl branch on the second and third.

2,2-Dimethylbutane, CH3C(CH3)2CH2CH3, a four-carbon chain with two methyl branches on the second.[1]

Production


Hexane is produced by the refining of crude oil. The exact composition of the fraction depends largely on the source of the oil (crude or reformed) and the constraints of the refining. The industrial product (usually around 50% by weight of the straight-chain isomer) is the fraction boiling at 65–70 °C.

Toxicity


The acute toxicity of hexane is relatively low, although it is a mild anesthetic. Inhalation of high concentrations produces first a state of mild euphoria, followed by somnolence with headaches and nausea.
Chronic intoxication from hexane has been observed in recreational solvent abusers and in workers in the shoe manufacturing, furniture restoration and automobile construction industries. The initial symptoms are tingling and cramps in the arms and legs, followed by general muscular weakness. In severe cases, atrophy of the skeletal muscles is observed, along with a loss of coordination and problems of vision.
Similar symptoms are observed in animal models. They are associated with a degeneration of the peripheral nervous system (and eventually the central nervous system), starting with the distal portions of the longer and wider nerve axons. The toxicity is not due to hexane itself but to one of its metabolites, hexane-2,5-dione. It is believed that this reacts with the amino group of the side chain of lysine residues in proteins, causing cross-linking and a loss of protein function.
The effects of hexane poisoning in humans are uncertain. In 1994, n-hexane was included in the list of chemicals on the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI).[1] In the latter part of the 20th and early part of the 21st centuries, a number of explosions have been attributed to the combustion of hexane gas.
In 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued regulations on the control of emissions of hexane gas due to its potential carcinogenic properties and environmental concerns.[2]

See also



Cyclohexane

Hexene

References


1. N-Hexane Chemical Backgrounder
2. Nanostructured Microemulsions as Alternative Solvents to VOCs in Cleaning Technologies and Vegetable Oil Extraction Anuradee Witthayapanyanon and Linh Do


★ Institut national de recherche et de sécurité. (2005). "Hexane". ''Fiche toxicologique n° 113'', 8pp. (''in French'')

External links



International Chemical Safety Card 0279 (''n''-hexane)

International Chemical Safety Card 1262 (2-methylpentane)

Material Safety Data Sheet for Hexane

National Pollutant Inventory - ''n''-hexane fact sheet

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (''n''-hexane)

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (hexane isomers)

Phytochemica l database entry

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Warning from National Safety Council "COMMON CHEMICAL AFFECTS AUTO MECHANICS"

★ Australian National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) page

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