3-Acetylpyrrolidine turns up in the world of chemical building blocks. With the molecular formula C6H11NO and a CAS number of 2235-90-7, this compound draws attention for its role across research, synthesis, and sometimes specialty manufacturing. There’s a five-member pyrrolidine ring at the core, carrying an acetyl group at the third position. Under a microscope, you find colorless to pale yellow crystals, a smell faint but definitely there, hinting at its complex chemistry.
Here’s where personal lessons in a lab come up—handling chemicals like 3-Acetylpyrrolidine means double-checking for reactivity or health warnings. Measuring density, you land near 1.02 g/cm³ at 20°C. Solid at room temperature, it may arrive in flakes, powder, or pearl form, depending on the route you buy. Melting point usually sits between 27-30°C, with a boiling point up at 182–185°C, which means if you spill it, wipe up fast before warmth makes a mess. It doesn’t dissolve well in water, but organic solvents like ethanol or ether work better.
Pyrrolidine rings aren’t exotic to chemists, but that acetyl group sets 3-Acetylpyrrolidine apart for certain reactions. Each molecule sketches out with one nitrogen atom and six carbons, the acetyl group making the nitrogen a touch less nucleophilic than in the parent pyrrolidine. This basic structure helps it show up in pharmaceutical research, where substituting groups or tweaking reactivity shifts biological effect.
Every time I’ve seen 3-Acetylpyrrolidine, it’s been about making something bigger: intermediate for pharmaceuticals, raw material for agrochemical development, or an ingredient when building up more complex organic molecules. In some custom synthesis shops, you spot it as a “starting material,” and researchers talk about its effect on yield or purity of final products. Some use it in the hunt for new central nervous system agents, where this chemical plays a small but important role.
Touching on safety—stories circulate about burns or irritated airways if people forget gloves or spill the solid. At a desk, reading the Safety Data Sheet teaches you: 3-Acetylpyrrolidine can hit skin, eyes, or lungs if handled wrongly. No strong widespread hazards, but enough concern that sealed storage, fume hood work, and full PPE matter. Keep it in tightly closed containers, away from food and ignition sources. Hazard codes line up most closely with irritant (GHS07), not full-scale hazardous (toxic or flammable), but no one wants to learn that lesson firsthand.
In the raw materials market, buyers hunt for purity, usually above 97%. Sometimes, companies offer technical or analytical grade, with documentation pointing out water content and residual solvents. Official listings mention HS Code 2933399990—falling under heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen functional groups. Packing normally involves double-bagged polyethylene bottles, with outer drums when volume spikes above a kilogram.
Depending on lab needs, you might deal with different appearances. Crystals offer easier weighing, powder can fill gaps during compounding, flakes sometimes appear when storage temperature hovers just above melting. Liquid phase stays unlikely unless heated above its melting point and kept warm. All versions—especially powder—need measures to avoid inhalation, and humidity can clump powders into less convenient lumps, so desiccators and silica packs help keep the material easy to handle.
Calculating the molecular weight, C6H11NO lands at 113.16 g/mol. The density practically matters most during shipping or measuring out reaction charges. I’ve found that small changes in room temperature can start to melt a batch, meaning that exact weights and dry conditions keep results reproducible. Many suppliers provide specification sheets not only for content but for moisture, melting point, and sometimes NMR or IR data backing up identity and purity.
Chemists constantly ask: is this safe enough to handle daily? While 3-Acetylpyrrolidine doesn’t set off alarms like some harsher amines or acids, its irritant potential makes careless handling a mistake. Rapid clean-up after spills, clear labeling, thoughtful waste management all prevent problems. I recall a time someone left a flask open on a bench—result: skin blotches and a rush to the sink. OSHA hasn’t listed specific permissible exposure limits, but standard lab hygiene and waste controls apply.
Training stays key; anyone new in a facility gets practical demonstrations on safe transfer, weighing, dilution, and waste disposal. Ventilated benches help cut down on airborne risk. Regular audits spot any expired stock or forgotten open bottles. Emergency showers, eye-wash stations close at hand, prevent minor lapses from becoming major injuries. Documentation—transparent batch records, up-to-date SDS, and clear labeling—reduces confusion. Tailoring order sizes to genuine need avoids long-term storage challenges.
Careful work with 3-Acetylpyrrolidine lets labs and factories avoid lost time and health problems. Material handling knowledge supports everything from research breakthroughs to safe, sustainable chemical supply. The right data keeps everyone prepared, from storeroom to bench top. Confidence in chemical description comes from mixing fact with direct experience—knowing the details, spotting the pitfalls, and keeping sight of the end goal: safety, accuracy, and reliable output for every project involving this compound.
