Pyrrolidone, 2-Pyrrolidinone, Butyrolactam, γ-Butyrolactam, Amino Butyro Lactam, Ketopyrrolidine, 616-45-5

Pyrrolidone, 2-Pyrrolidinone, Butyrolactam, γ-Butyrolactam, Amino Butyro Lactam, Ketopyrrolidine, 616-45-5

🌟 2-Pyrrolidone

A) Physical and Chemical Properties

• Chemical Formula: C₄H₇NO

• Molecular Weight: 85.10 g/mol

• Appearance: Colorless to pale yellow liquid

• Boiling Point: ~245 °C

• Melting Point: 23–25 °C

• Density: ~1.12 g/cm³ at 25 °C

• Solubility: Fully miscible with water, ethanol, diethyl ether, chloroform, benzene, ethyl acetate, carbon disulfide2

• pH (100 g/L in water): 9–11

• Flash Point: ~113 °C

• Explosion Limits: 1.8–16.6% (v/v)

• CAS Number: 616-45-5

B) Applications

• Pharmaceuticals: Intermediate in the synthesis of drugs like Piracetam; solvent for injectable formulations

• Polymers: Monomer for polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) production

• Coatings: Co-solvent and plasticizer in aqueous coatings, especially acrylic emulsions and floor polishes

• Inks: Carrier solvent in water-based inkjet formulations

• Membrane Filters: Used in the production of sterile filtration membranes for pharmaceuticals and wine

• Electroplating: Additive in specialty baths

C) Production Method

• Primary Route: Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) reacts with ammonia at 250–290 °C under pressure (0.4–1.4 MPa) using magnesium silicate catalyst $$ \text{GBL} + \text{NH}_3 → \text{2-Pyrrolidone} $$

• Alternative Routes:

  • Reduction of succinimide

  • Carbonylation of allylamine

  • Reaction of maleic anhydride with ammonia using Pd-Ru catalysts

D) Reactions

• Ring Opening: Under acidic or basic conditions

• Polymerization: Reacts with vinyl monomers to form PVP

• N-Alkylation: Used to produce NMP and other derivatives

E) Alternatives

• N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) – higher boiling point, similar polarity

• 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) – greener solvent

• Dimethylformamide (DMF) – polar aprotic solvent

• Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) – precursor and alternative solvent

F) Synonyms

• 2-Pyrrolidone, 2-Pyrrolidinone, Butyrolactam, γ-Butyrolactam, Aminobutyrolactam, 2-Ketopyrrolidine

G) Common Names

• “PVP monomer”

• “Ink solvent”

• “Pirolidone base”

H) Usage Ratios

• PVP production: 100% monomer

• Pharmaceutical synthesis: 10–50% of reaction volume

• Ink formulations: 5–20% as co-solvent