Ethyl nitrate
| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name
1-Nitrosooxyethane | |
| Preferred IUPAC name
Ethyl nitrate | |
| Other names
Nitric acid ethyl ester | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.009.913 |
| EC Number |
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PubChem CID |
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| UNII | |
| UN number | 1993 |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |
| C2H5NO3 | |
| Molar mass | 91.066 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | colorless liquid |
| Odor | sweet |
| Density | 1.10g/cm3 |
| Melting point | −102 °C (−152 °F; 171 K) |
| Boiling point | 87.5 °C (189.5 °F; 360.6 K) |
| soluble | |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling: | |
| Danger | |
| H200 | |
| P201, P202, P281, P372, P373, P380, P401, P501 | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| Flash point | −37 °C; −34 °F; 236 K |
| Explosive limits | 4.1–50% |
| Related compounds | |
Related Alkyl nitrates |
Methyl nitrate Ethylene glycol dinitrate Isopropyl nitrate |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references | |
Ethyl nitrate is the ethyl ester of nitric acid and has the chemical formula C2H5NO3. It is a colourless, volatile, explosive, and extremely flammable liquid. It is used in organic synthesis with use as a nitrating agent and as an intermediate in the preparation of some drugs, dyes, and perfumes. Like nitroglycerin, it's a vasodilator.
Ethyl nitrate is found in the atmosphere, where it can react with other gases to form smog. The pollutant was originally thought to have been formed mainly by the combustion of fossil fuels. However recent analysis of ocean water samples reveal that in places where cool water rises from the deep, the water is saturated with alkyl nitrates, likely formed by natural processes.