|Jmol 3D model||Interactive image|
|Molar mass||84.08 g mol−1|
|Density||1.09 g cm−3|
|Melting point||−7 °C (19 °F; 266 K)|
|Boiling point||127 °C (261 °F; 400 K)|
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
|what is ?)(|
Diketene is an organic compound with the formula (CH2CO)2. It is formed by dimerization of ketene (IUPAC name: ethenone). Diketene is a member of the oxetane family. It is used as a reagent in organic chemistry. It is a colorless liquid.
Ketene is generated by dehydrating acetic acid at 700–750 °C in the presence of triethyl phosphate as a catalyst or (in Switzerland and the CIS) by the thermolysis of acetone at 600–700 °C in the presence of carbon disulfide as a catalyst.
- CH3CO2H → H2C=C=O + H2O (ΔH = +147 kJ/mol)
- CH3COCH3 → H2C=C=O + CH4
The dimerization to diketene proceeds spontaneously at room temperature.
Heating or irradiation with UV light  regenerates the ketene monomer:
- (CH2CO)2 ⇌ 2 CH2CO
Alkylated ketenes also dimerize with ease and form substituted diketenes.
At one time acetic anhydride was prepared by the reaction of ketene with acetic acid:
- H2C=C=O + CH3COOH → (CH3CO)2O (ΔH = −63 kJ/mol)
Diketene is an important industrial intermediate used for the production of acetoacetate esters and amides as well as substituted 1-phenyl-3-methylpyrazolones. The latter are used in the manufacture of dyestuffs and pigments. A typical reaction is:
- ArNH2 + (CH2CO)2 → ArNHC(O)CH2C(O)CH3
Diketenes with two alkyl chains are used in the manufacture of paper for sizing of paper in order to improve their printability (by hydrophobization). Besides the rosin resins with about 60% share of world consumption, long chain diketenes called alkylketene dimers (AKD) are with 16% share the most important synthetic paper sizes, they are usually used in concentrations of 0.15%, meaning 1.5 kg solid AKD/t paper.
The preparation of AKD is carried out by chlorination of long chain fatty acids (such as stearic acid, using chlorinating agents such as thionyl chloride) to give the corresponding acid chlorides and subsequent elimination of HCl by amines (for example triethylamine) in toluene or other solvents:
Furthermore, diketenes are used as intermediates in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, insecticides and dyes. For example pyrazolones are formed from substituted phenylhydrazines, they were used as analgesics but are now largely obsolete. With methylamine diketenes reacts to N,N'-dimethylacetoacetamide which is chlorinated with sulfuryl chloride and reacted with trimethyl phosphite to the highly toxic insecticide monocrotophos (especially toxic to bees). Diketenes react with substituted aromatic amines to acetoacetanilides, which are important precursors for mostly yellow, orange or red azo dyes and azo pigments.
Exemplary for the synthesis of arylides by the reaction of diketenes with aromatic amines is:
Aromatic diazonium coupling with arylides to form azo dyes, such as Pigment Yellow 74:
The industrial synthesis of the sweetener acesulfame-K is based on the reaction of diketene with sulfamic acid and cyclization by SO3.
Despite its high reactivity as an alkylating agent, and unlike analogue β-lactones propiolactone and β-butyrolactone, diketene is inactive as a carcinogen, possibly due to the instability of its DNA adducts.
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- Rafael Gómez-Bombarelli; Marina González-Pérez; María Teresa Pérez-Prior; José A. Manso; Emilio Calle; Julio Casado (2008). "Kinetic Study of the Neutral and Base Hydrolysis of Diketene". Phys. Org. Chem 22 (5): n/a. doi:10.1002/poc.1483.
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- EP 0218076 Process for the preparation of the non-toxic salts of 6-methyl-3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-on-2,2-dioxide.
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