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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Physical & Chemical properties

Endpoint summary

Administrative data

Description of key information

Information on the physical and chemical properties of acetonitrile is available from widely cited handbooks, scientific publications and manufacturers.

Acetonitrile as a clear, colourless liquid with a faint odour, with a freezing point of -45.7 oC and boiling point of 81.65 oC. It has a density of 0.79 g/mL at 20 oC, and a vapour pressure of 96 hPa at 20 oC and 120 hPa at 25 oC. The octanol-water partition coefficient at a nominal temperature of 25 oC is 0.46 (log Pow = -0.34). Acetonitrile is fully miscible with water in all proportions and has a viscosity of 0.35 mPa s at 20 oC. The auto-ignition temperature of acetonitrile is 524 oC.

Surface tension is not applicable as surface activity is not a desired property of the material. A study assessing the stability of acetonitrile in solvents is not needed as the stability of the substance in solvents is not considered to be critical. A dissociation constant study is not applicable as there are no functional groups capable of dissociation.

The flash point is reported to be 12.8 oC (closed cup) and 6 oC (open cup) – as the initial boiling point is >35 °C, the substance is classified as a flammable liquid category 2. Acetonitrile is not classified under any other CLP physical hazard endpoints.

Additional information