Diethyl sulfate

Last updated
Diethyl sulfate
Diethylsulfate V 2.png
Diethyl-sulfate-3D-balls-by-AHRLS.png
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
Diethyl sulfate
Other names
Sulfuric acid diethyl ester
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.000.536 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
KEGG
PubChem CID
RTECS number
  • WS7875000
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C4H10O4S/c1-3-7-9(5,6)8-4-2/h3-4H2,1-2H3 Yes check.svgY
    Key: DENRZWYUOJLTMF-UHFFFAOYSA-N Yes check.svgY
  • InChI=1/C4H10O4S/c1-3-7-9(5,6)8-4-2/h3-4H2,1-2H3
    Key: DENRZWYUOJLTMF-UHFFFAOYAR
  • O=S(=O)(OCC)OCC
Properties
C4H10O4S
Molar mass 154.18 g·mol−1
AppearanceColorless liquid
Density 1.2 g/mL
Melting point −25 °C (−13 °F; 248 K)
Boiling point 209 °C (408 °F; 482 K) (decomposes)
decomposes in water
Vapor pressure 0.29 mm Hg
-86.8·10−6 cm3/mol
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS-pictogram-acid.svg GHS-pictogram-exclam.svg GHS-pictogram-silhouette.svg
Danger
H302, H312, H314, H332, H340, H350
P201, P202, P260, P261, P264, P270, P271, P280, P281, P301+P312, P301+P330+P331, P302+P352, P303+P361+P353, P304+P312, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P308+P313, P310, P312, P321, P322, P330, P363, P405, P501
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704.svgHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 1: Must be pre-heated before ignition can occur. Flash point over 93 °C (200 °F). E.g. canola oilInstability 1: Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. E.g. calciumSpecial hazards (white): no code
3
1
1
Flash point 104 °C (219 °F; 377 K)
Related compounds
Related compounds
Dimethyl sulfate; diethyl sulfite
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Yes check.svgY  verify  (what is  Yes check.svgYX mark.svgN ?)

Diethyl sulfate (DES) is an organosulfur compound with the formula (C2H5)2SO4. [1] [2] It occurs as a colorless, oily liquid with a faint peppermint odor. It is toxic, combustible, and likely carcinogenic chemical compound. [3] [2] Diethyl sulfate is used as an ethylating agent.

Contents

Structure and properties

Although the formula for diethyl sulfate is typically written (C2H5)2SO4, a more descriptive formula would be (C2H5O)2SO2. It is a diester of sulfuric acid. Sulfur is tetrahedral.

Diethyl sulfate hydrolyzes readily, forming ethanol, ethyl sulfate. Eventually sulfuric acid is formed with excess water.

Reactions

Diethyl sulfate is used to an alkylating agent to prepare ethyl ethers, ethyl amines [4] and ammonium salts, and ethyl thioethers. In preparing ethyl esters of fatty acids, both equivalents of the ethyl electrophile are transferred, unlike the usual alkylation of phenoxides: [1]

2 RCO2Na + (C2H5O)2SO2 → 2 RCO2C2H5 + Na2SO4

Both dimethyl sulfate and diethyl sulfate react with inorganic nucleophiles as well. For example, potassium iodide gives ethyl iodide.

Preparation

Diethyl sulfate cannot be prepared efficiently analogously to the method used for dimethyl sulfate. The reaction of oleum with diethyl ether results in excessive oxidation of the ethyl groups. Instead, diethyl sulfate is prepared in two steps starting from chlorosulfuric acid: [1]

ClSO3H + C2H5OH → C2H5OSO3H + HCl

The resulting ethyl sulfate is then heated with sodium sulfate, leading to a redistribution reaction:

2 C2H5OSO3H + Na2SO4 → (C2H5O)2SO2 + 2 NaHSO4

Safety

Like other strong alkylating agents and especially dimethyl sulfate, diethyl sulfate is toxic [2] and genotoxic. [5] It is classified as a Group 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans) carcinogen by the IARC. [6] Experimentation with animals has suggested this compound is likely carcinogenic to humans as it was implicated in the development of laryngeal cancer. [7] Evidence of the effects of this chemical compound on reproductive or developmental health is also lacking. [8]

Neutralization

Dialkyl sulfates can be rendered nontoxic by treatment with aqueous ammonia. [1]

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethanol</span> Organic compound (CH₃CH₂OH)

Ethanol is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CH2OH. It is an alcohol, with its formula also written as C2H5OH, C2H6O or EtOH, where Et stands for ethyl. Ethanol is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid with a characteristic wine-like odor and pungent taste. As a psychoactive depressant, it is the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks, and the second most consumed drug globally behind caffeine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organic sulfide</span> Organic compound with an –S– group

In organic chemistry, a sulfide or thioether is an organosulfur functional group with the connectivity R−S−R' as shown on right. Like many other sulfur-containing compounds, volatile sulfides have foul odors. A sulfide is similar to an ether except that it contains a sulfur atom in place of the oxygen. The grouping of oxygen and sulfur in the periodic table suggests that the chemical properties of ethers and sulfides are somewhat similar, though the extent to which this is true in practice varies depending on the application.

In organic chemistry, an alkyl group is an alkane missing one hydrogen. The term alkyl is intentionally unspecific to include many possible substitutions. An acyclic alkyl has the general formula of −CnH2n+1. A cycloalkyl group is derived from a cycloalkane by removal of a hydrogen atom from a ring and has the general formula −CnH2n−1. Typically an alkyl is a part of a larger molecule. In structural formulae, the symbol R is used to designate a generic (unspecified) alkyl group. The smallest alkyl group is methyl, with the formula −CH3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alkylation</span> Transfer of an alkyl group from one molecule to another

Alkylation is a chemical reaction that entails transfer of an alkyl group. The alkyl group may be transferred as an alkyl carbocation, a free radical, a carbanion, or a carbene. Alkylating agents are reagents for effecting alkylation. Alkyl groups can also be removed in a process known as dealkylation. Alkylating agents are often classified according to their nucleophilic or electrophilic character. In oil refining contexts, alkylation refers to a particular alkylation of isobutane with olefins. For upgrading of petroleum, alkylation produces a premium blending stock for gasoline. In medicine, alkylation of DNA is used in chemotherapy to damage the DNA of cancer cells. Alkylation is accomplished with the class of drugs called alkylating antineoplastic agents.

Dimethyl ether (DME; also known as methoxymethane) is the organic compound with the formula CH3OCH3, (sometimes ambiguously simplified to C2H6O as it is an isomer of ethanol). The simplest ether, it is a colorless gas that is a useful precursor to other organic compounds and an aerosol propellant that is currently being demonstrated for use in a variety of fuel applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diethyl ether</span> Organic chemical compound

Diethyl ether, or simply ether, is an organic compound with the chemical formula (CH3CH2)2O, also written as C4H10O or (C2H5)2O, sometimes abbreviated as Et2O. It is a colourless, highly volatile, sweet-smelling, extremely flammable liquid. It belongs to the ether class of organic compounds. It is commonly used as a solvent in laboratories and as a starting fluid for some engines. It was formerly used as a general anesthetic, until non-flammable drugs were developed, such as halothane. It has been used as a recreational drug to cause intoxication.

IARC group 1 Carcinogens are substances, chemical mixtures, and exposure circumstances which have been classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This category is used when there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans. Exceptionally, an agent may be placed in this category when evidence of carcinogenicity in humans is less than sufficient, but when there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals and strong evidence in exposed humans that the agent (mixture) acts through a relevant mechanism of carcinogenicity.

IARC group 2A agents are substances and exposure circumstances that have been classified as probable carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This designation is applied when there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, as well as sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. In some cases, an agent may be classified in this group when there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans along with sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals and strong evidence that the carcinogenesis is mediated by a mechanism that also operates in humans. Exceptionally, an agent may be classified in this group solely on the basis of limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.

IARC group 2B substances, mixtures and exposure circumstances are those that have been classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as This category is used when there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. It may also be used when there is insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans but sufficient evidence in experimental animals. In some cases, an agent, mixture, or exposure circumstance with inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans but limited evidence in experimental animals, combined with supporting evidence from other relevant data, may be included in this group.

IARC group 3 substances, chemical mixtures and exposure circumstances are those that can not be classified in regard to their carcinogenicity to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This category is used most commonly for agents, mixtures and exposure circumstances for which the level of evidence of carcinogenicity is inadequate in humans and inadequate or limited in experimental animals. Exceptionally, agents (mixtures) for which the evidence of carcinogenicity is inadequate in humans, but sufficient in experimental animals may be placed in this category when there is strong evidence that the mechanism of carcinogenicity in experimental animals does not operate in humans. Agents, mixtures and exposure circumstances that do not fall into any other group are also placed in this category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimethyl sulfate</span> Chemical compound

Dimethyl sulfate (DMS) is a chemical compound with formula (CH3O)2SO2. As the diester of methanol and sulfuric acid, its formula is often written as (CH3)2SO4 or Me2SO4, where CH3 or Me is methyl. Me2SO4 is mainly used as a methylating agent in organic synthesis. Me2SO4 is a colourless oily liquid with a slight onion-like odour. Like all strong alkylating agents, Me2SO4 is toxic. Its use as a laboratory reagent has been superseded to some extent by methyl triflate, CF3SO3CH3, the methyl ester of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid.

Iodomethane, also called methyl iodide, and commonly abbreviated "MeI", is the chemical compound with the formula CH3I. It is a dense, colorless, volatile liquid. In terms of chemical structure, it is related to methane by replacement of one hydrogen atom by an atom of iodine. It is naturally emitted by rice plantations in small amounts. It is also produced in vast quantities estimated to be greater than 214,000 tons annually by algae and kelp in the world's temperate oceans, and in lesser amounts on land by terrestrial fungi and bacteria. It is used in organic synthesis as a source of methyl groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethyl sulfate</span> Chemical compound

Ethyl sulfate, also known as sulfovinic acid, is an organic chemical compound used as an intermediate in the production of ethanol from ethylene. It is the ethyl ester of sulfuric acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knorr pyrrole synthesis</span> Chemical reaction

The Knorr pyrrole synthesis is a widely used chemical reaction that synthesizes substituted pyrroles (3). The method involves the reaction of an α-amino-ketone (1) and a compound containing an electron-withdrawing group α to a carbonyl group (2).

Bromoethane, also known as ethyl bromide, is a chemical compound of the haloalkanes group. It is abbreviated by chemists as EtBr. This volatile compound has an ether-like odor.

This is the list of extremely hazardous substances defined in Section 302 of the U.S. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. The list can be found as an appendix to 40 CFR 355. Updates as of 2006 can be seen on the Federal Register, 71 FR 47121.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methyl bisulfate</span> Chemical compound

Methyl bisulfate is a chemical compound with the molecular formula (CH3)HSO4. This compound is the mono-methyl ester of sulfuric acid. Its structure is CH3−O−S(=O)2−OH. The significance of methyl bisulfate is that it is an intermediate in the hydrolysis of the important reagent dimethyl sulfate, (CH3)2SO4:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate</span> Chemical compound

Triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate is the organic oxonium compound with the formula [(CH3CH2)3O]+[BF4]. It is often called Meerwein's reagent or Meerwein's salt after its discoverer Hans Meerwein. Also well known and commercially available is the related trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate. The compounds are white solids that dissolve in polar organic solvents. They are strong alkylating agents. Aside from the BF−4 salt, many related derivatives are available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbyl sulfate</span> Chemical compound

Carbyl sulfate is an organosulfur compound. The white solid is the product of the reaction of sulfur trioxide and ethylene. It is used in preparation of some dyes and other organosulfur compounds. Carbyl sulfate is a colorless, crystalline, hygroscopic substance although commercial product can appear as a liquid. Because of its unpleasant properties carbyl sulfate is difficult to handle and is usually not isolated but further processed to give secondary products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diethyl oxomalonate</span> Chemical compound

Diethyl oxomalonate is the diethyl ester of mesoxalic acid (ketomalonic acid), the simplest oxodicarboxylic acid and thus the first member (n = 0) of a homologous series HOOC–CO–(CH2)n–COOH with the higher homologues oxalacetic acid (n = 1), α-ketoglutaric acid (n = 2) and α-ketoadipic acid (n = 3) (the latter a metabolite of the amino acid lysine). Diethyl oxomalonate reacts because of its highly polarized keto group as electrophile in addition reactions and is a highly active reactant in pericyclic reactions such as the Diels-Alder reactions, cycloadditions or ene reactions. At humid air, mesoxalic acid diethyl ester reacts with water to give diethyl mesoxalate hydrate and the green-yellow oil are spontaneously converted to white crystals.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Weisenberger, Karl; Mayer, Dieter; Sandler, Stanley R. (2000). "Dialkyl Sulfates and Alkylsulfuric Acids". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. doi:10.1002/14356007.a08_493. ISBN   978-3-527-30385-4.
  2. 1 2 3 "Diethyl Sulfate | CAMEO Chemicals | NOAA". cameochemicals.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  3. "NCI Thesaurus". ncit.nci.nih.gov. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  4. Buck, J. R.; Park, M.; Wang, Z.; Prudhomme, D. R.; Rizzo, C. J. (2000). "9-Ethyl-3,6-Dimethylcarbazole (DMECZ)". Organic Syntheses . 77: 153. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.077.0153 .
  5. "Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–129 – IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans". monographs.iarc.who.int. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  6. IARC (1999). "Diethyl Sulfate". Summaries and Evaluations. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). p. 1405.
  7. "NCI Thesaurus". ncit.nci.nih.gov. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  8. "Diethyl Sulfate" (PDF). United States Environmental Protection Agency. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-10-14.