Hexanal Chemical Properties

Melting point:

-56 °C

Boiling point:

130-131 °C(lit.)

Density 

0.816 g/mL at 20 °C

vapor density 

>1 (vs air)

vapor pressure 

10 mm Hg ( 20 °C)

refractive index 

n20/D 1.4035(lit.)

FEMA 

2557 | HEXANAL

Flash point:

90 °F

storage temp. 

2-8°C

solubility 

6g/l

form 

Liquid

color 

Clear colorless to slightly yellow

PH

4-5 (4.8g/l, H2O, 20℃)

Odor

Pungent.

Odor Threshold

0.00028ppm

Odor Type

green

Water Solubility 

4.8 g/L (20 ºC)

Sensitive 

Air Sensitive

Merck 

14,1760

JECFA Number

92

BRN 

506198

Stability:

Stable. Flammable. Incompatible with oxidizing agents, strong bases, strong reducing agents.

LogP

1.97

CAS DataBase Reference

66-25-1(CAS DataBase Reference)

NIST Chemistry Reference

Hexanal(66-25-1)

EPA Substance Registry System

Hexaldehyde (66-25-1)

Safety Information

Hazard Codes 

Xi

Risk Statements 

10-36-36/37/38

Safety Statements 

37/39-26-16-9

RIDADR 

UN 1207 3/PG 3

WGK Germany 

1

RTECS 

MN7175000

F 

13

Autoignition Temperature

220 °C

Hazard Note 

Irritant

TSCA 

Yes

HS Code 

2912 19 00

HazardClass 

3

PackingGroup 

III

Hazardous Substances Data

66-25-1(Hazardous Substances Data)

Toxicity

LD50 orally in rats: 4.89 g/kg (Smyth)

MSDS

• Language:English Provider:SigmaAldrich
• Language:English Provider:ACROS
• Language:English Provider:ALFA

Hexanal Usage And Synthesis

Description

Hexanal has a fatty, green, grassy, powerful, penetrating characteristic fruity odor and taste (on dilution). It is prepared from the calcium salt of caproic acid and formic acid.

Chemical Properties

Hexanal occurs in apple and strawberry aromas as well as in orange and lemon oil. It is a colorless liquid with a fatty, green odor and, in low concentration, is reminiscent of unripe fruit. Hexanal is used in fruit flavors and, when highly diluted, in perfumery for obtaining fruity notes.

Chemical Properties

Colorless liquid; sharp aldehyde odor.Immiscible with water.

Occurrence

Reported found that hexanal occurs naturally in in some natural aromas of apple, strawberry, camphor oil, tea extracts, tobacco leaves, Eucalyptus globulus, dwarf pine, bitter orange and coffee. Also reported found in nearly 300 natural sources including apple, apricot, banana, sweet and sour cherry, citrus peel oils and juices, berries, guava, melon, raisins, peach, pear, papaya, pineapple, asparagus, cabbage, celery, carrot, lettuce, shallots, onion, leek, ginger, parsley, bread, cheeses, butter, milk, fish, meats, cocoa, coffee, tea, nuts, popcorn, potato chips, oat products, honey, soybean, plum, cauliflower, beetroot, celery root, figs, cardamom, coriander seed and leaf, brussel sprouts, rice, quince, radish, lovage, corn oil, laurel and malt

Uses

Hexanal occurs naturally inmany foods, such as in ripening fruits, or because of addition as a flavorant; it has an apple taste. It can also be produced in foods because of lipid peroxidation during cooking. It is mainly used as a food flavorant, in fragrances, and in the manufacture of dyes, plasticizers, synthetic resins, and pesticides. It is released to air and water during production or use for the manufacture of other products or during the use of these products themselves. It undergoes oxidation and polymerization readily.
Feron et al. identified hexanal in about 80 different types of food.

Uses

Hexanal is used in the flavor industry to prepare fruity flavors. It is utilized as a flavoring agent in the food industry. It is also used in Witting and aldol reactions.

Preparation

Prepared from the calcium salt of caproic acid and formic acid

Definition

ChEBI: A fatty aldehyde that is hexane in which one of the terminal methyl group has been mono-oxygenated to form the corresponding aldehyde.

Aroma threshold values

Detection: 4.1 to 22.8 ppb; recognition: 400 ppb; aroma characteristics at 2.0%: green, fatty, leafy, vegetative, fruity and clean with a woody nuance

Taste threshold values

Taste characteristics at 2.5 ppm: green, woody, vegetative, apple, grassy, citrus and orange with a fresh, lingering aftertaste

Synthesis Reference(s)

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 93, p. 1693, 1971 DOI: 10.1021/ja00736a021

General Description

A clear colorless liquid with a pungent odor. Flash point 90°F. Less dense than water and insoluble in water. Vapors heavier than air.

Air & Water Reactions

Highly flammable. Insoluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

Caproaldehyde is an aldehyde. Aldehydes are frequently involved in self-condensation or polymerization reactions. These reactions are exothermic; they are often catalyzed by acid. Aldehydes are readily oxidized to give carboxylic acids. Flammable and/or toxic gases are generated by the combination of aldehydes with azo, diazo compounds, dithiocarbamates, nitrides, and strong reducing agents. Aldehydes can react with air to give first peroxo acids, and ultimately carboxylic acids. These autoxidation reactions are activated by light, catalyzed by salts of transition metals, and are autocatalytic (catalyzed by the products of the reaction). The addition of stabilizers (antioxidants) to shipments of aldehydes retards autoxidation. May attack some forms of plastics [USCG, 1999].

Hazard

Flammable, moderate fire risk.

Health Hazard

Ingestion causes irritation of mouth and stomach. Contact with vapor or liquid irritates eyes. Liquid irritates skin.

Fire Hazard

Behavior in Fire: Vapor is heavier than air and may travel to a source of ignition and flash back.

Chemical Reactivity

Reactivity with Water No reaction; Reactivity with Common Materials: May attack some plastics; Stability During Transport: Stable; Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics: Not pertinent; Polymerization: Not pertinent; Inhibitor of Polymerization: Not pertinent.

Hexanal(66-25-1)Related Product Information

• Decanoic acid
• n-Butylboronic acid
• Nonanoic acid
• N-DECYLTRIMETHOXYSILANE
• Butyryl chloride
• Butylamine
• N-NONANE
• 1-Hexanol
• 1-Heptanol
• Heptane
• N-EICOSANE
• N-TRICOSANE
• N-TETRACOSANE
• N-DECYLCYCLOHEXANE
• Hexane
• Hexylamine
• Lauroyl chloride
• 4-[3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-oxan-2-yl]oxy-2,3,5,6-tetrahydroxy-hexanal