Chloroacetone
chemical compound
Chloroacetone is a liquid, a chemical compound with the formula CH3COCH2Cl. Regulated for its potential as a tear gas, it is primarily a chemical intermediate in commerce.
Properties
At STP it is a colorless liquid with a pungent odor. On exposure to light, it turns to a dark yellow-amber color. It was used as a tear gas in World War I.
Synthesis
Chloroacetone may be synthesized from the reaction between chlorine and diketene, or by the chlorination of acetone.
Applications
Chloroacetone is primarily an intermediate in chemical manufacture. In the early 2000s, it was used to make dye couplers for colour film photography. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is a precursor to phenoxyacetone.
It is also used in the Feist-Benary synthesis of furans:
Purification
Chloroacetone purchased from commercial suppliers contains 5% impurities including mesityl oxide, which is not removed by distillation. Mesityl oxide can be oxidized using acidified KMnO4 to form a diol (followed by separation with ether), which is removed on subsequent distillation.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Chloroacetone” as chemical compound. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as chemical compound. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Nov 6, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q425346. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Chloroacetone”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Chloroacetone primary sources, Chloroacetone archive and Chloroacetone research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Chloroacetone”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Chloroacetone” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.