Isobutyraldehyde

Isobutyraldehyde
IUPAC name 2-methylpropanal
Other names 2-Methylpropionaldehyde
Identifiers
CAS number	78-84-2 Y
PubChem	6561
ChemSpider	6313 Y
UNII	C42E28168L Y
ChEBI	CHEBI:48943 Y
RTECS number	NQ4025000
Jmol-3D images	Image 1
SMILES CC(C)C=O
InChI InChI=1S/C4H8O/c1-4(2)3-5/h3-4H,1-2H3 Y Key: AMIMRNSIRUDHCM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y InChI=1/C4H8O/c1-4(2)3-5/h3-4H,1-2H3 Key: AMIMRNSIRUDHCM-UHFFFAOYAE
Properties
Molecular formula	C4H8O
Molar mass	72.11 g/mol
Appearance	colourless liquid
Density	0.79 g/cm3
Melting point	-65 °C
Boiling point	63 °C
Solubility in water	moderate
Solubility in other solvents	miscible in organic solvents
Refractive index (nD)	1.374
Hazards
R-phrases	11
S-phrases	16
Main hazards	flammable
Flash point	-2 °F
Related compounds
Related alkyl aldehydes	Lilial Hexyl cinnamaldehyde 2-Methylundecanal
Related compounds	Butyraldehyde Propionaldehyde
Y (verify) (what is: Y/N?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Isobutyraldehyde is the chemical compound with the formula (CH₃)₂CHCHO. It is an aldehyde, isomeric with n-butyraldehyde (butanal). Isobutyraldehyde is manufactured, often as a side-product, by the hydroformylation of propene. Its odour is described as that of wet cereal or straw.

synthesis

Strong mineral acids catalyse the rearrangement of methallyl alcohol to isobutraldehyde.

As a Green Technology

In the December 9, 2010 issue of Nature Biotechnology, UCLA researchers published an article on the use of the cyanobacterium Synechoccus elongatus, in producing isobutyraldehyde from carbon dioxide and sunlight. The bacteria was gene engineered with increased amounts of the carbon dioxide–fixing enzyme RuBisCO, and then other genes were spliced in to allow the absorption of carbon dioxide and the use of sunlight to power the system.^[1] Simple catalytic processes can hydrogenate the aldehyde into isobutanol, which can be used in motor fuels and as a chemical feedstock.

As a trivial name

Isobutyraldehyde is a retained trivial name under the IUPAC rules.^[2]

References

1. ^ http://www.gizmag.com/bacteria-convert-co2-into-fuel/13601/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=72cd24d9c9-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email.
2. ^ IUPAC, the Blue Book; Oxford: Blackwell Science (1993). ISBN 0-632-03488-2. Online edition: "Recommendation R-R-9.1.".