n-Propanol

Very pure, clear, polar, mobile, water-soluble solvent with a mild odour and medium volatility. Starting material for syntheses.

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n-Propanol is a colourless, mobile, neutral liquid of average volatility and has a characteristic alcoholic odour. It is freely miscible with water and al common solvents such as alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, ethers, glycols, aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. 

n-Propanol is used as a solvent and an intermediate. It shows less tendency to absorb water than lower alcohols, and has a considerably milder and more pleasant odour than higher alcohols. The main application as a solvent is in flexographic and other printing inks. In the coatings industry, n-Propanol is a useful medium-volatility alcohol for improving the drying characteristics, e. g. of alkyd resins, electrodeposition paints and baking finishes. It is added to cleaners, floor polishes and metal degreasing fluids and is used as an additional solvent in the manufacture of adhesives. n-Propanol is also present in de-icing fluids and is used as extractant and entrainer in azeotropic distillation.

n-Propanol is a feedstock in the manufacture of insecticides, herbicides and pharmaceuticals. It reacts with acetic acid to form propyl acetate, with ammonia to form propylamines and with halogens to form the corresponding propyl halides.