Ethyl nitrite

The chemical compound ethyl nitrite is an alkyl nitrite with a chemical formula C₂H₅NO₂. It may be prepared from ethanol.^[2]

Ethyl nitrite

Names
Preferred IUPAC name Ethyl nitrite
Other names 1-Nitrosooxyethane Ethyl alcohol nitrite Nitrous acid Nitrous ether Ethyl ester Nitrethyl
Identifiers
CAS Number	109-95-5 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEMBL	ChEMBL1551365 N
ChemSpider	7735 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.003.385
PubChem CID	8026
UNII	8C7CJ279RV Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID9046574
InChI InChI=1S/C2H5NO2/c1-2-5-3-4/h2H2,1H3 Y Key: QQZWEECEMNQSTG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y InChI=1/C2H5NO2/c1-2-5-3-4/h2H2,1H3 Key: QQZWEECEMNQSTG-UHFFFAOYAU
SMILES O=NOCC
Properties
Chemical formula	C2H5NO2
Molar mass	75.067 g·mol−1
Boiling point	17 °C (63 °F; 290 K)
Solubility in water	5.07 g/100 ml
Hazards
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH):
Main hazards	[1]
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	2 4 4
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

Uses

It is used as a reagent with butanone to yield the dimethylglyoxime end product.

Ethyl nitrite is the main ingredient in a traditional ethanol-based South African remedy for colds and flu known as Witdulsies, which is sold in pharmacies. It is known as a traditional Afrikaans remedy; the same remedy is apparently made by the Amish in the US. However, FDA has blocked over-the-counter sales of this same remedy, known in the US as sweet nitrite or sweet spirit of nitre, since 1980.^[3] Its use has been associated with fatal methemoglobinemia.^[4]

Methemoglobinemia is the primary toxic effect of ethyl nitrite.^[5] Due to ethyl nitrite's high volatility and faint smell, in the presence of ethyl nitrite vapors, it is easy to breathe a high dose of it without realizing, resulting in methemoglobinemia,^[6] which may or may not be severe, or even fatal.