ACETONE is present in very small quantities in normal urine, in the blood, and in larger quantities in diabetic patients, and is the simplest representative of the aliphatic ketones. It results with other ketones from the destructive distillation of wood and other cellulosic derivatives, and for this reason it is present in crude wood spirit (methyl alcohol). It has the formula and is thus dimethyl ketone. Acetone is a colourless, fragrant, inflammable, mobile liquid, boiling at 56.3° C and misci ble in all proportions with water, alcohol and ether. It has very useful solvent properties, dissolving considerable quantities of acetylene gas (q.v.). It dissolves many fats and resins and is a solvent for cellulose nitrate and acetate. On account of the latter properties, it finds extensive use in the manufacture of cordite and of artificial silk.
On account of its valuable properties as a solvent and as an organic reagent, acetone is prepared on a large scale, the processes available being as follows:— I. The dry distillation of calcium acetate leading to the formation of acetone and calcium carbonate.
2. The catalytic (see CATALYSIS) decomposition of glacial acetic acid into acetone, carbon dioxide, and water when it is passed over heated metallic oxides such as alumina and thoria.
3. The fermentation of maize, rice, horse chestnut meal or other starchy materials with a bacterium discovered by A.
Fernbach, the starch present being converted into a mixture of normal butyl alcohol (2 parts) and acetone (I part).
Acetone is employed in many organic syntheses. Dehydrating agents convert it successively into mesityl oxide and phorone, and on distillation with sulphuric acid it is -transformed by elimination of water into mesitylene (I :3 :5-trimethylbenzene). In conjunction with orthonitrobenzaldehyde, it has been used to prepare artificial indigo.
Therapeutic Applications.—The ketones in general give rise to narcosis and lowering of blood pressure and acetone itself produces intoxication and sleep but is less powerful than ether or chloro form, although less toxic than ethyl alcohol. When treated with chlorine, bromine, or iodine in presence of alkali, acetone is con verted respectively into chloroform, bromoform, or iodoform. It is the starting point in the production of the narcotic drug sulphonal.