Chemistry often builds on discoveries tucked away in old journals or lab notebooks, and Ethyl 2-Oxocyclopentanecarboxylate has a history that traces back to the golden era of cycloalkanone exploration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Early organics labs found that modifying cyclopentanone rings with carboxylate groups led to useful intermediates for larger synthetic schemes—stepping-stones in drug and dye manufacture. In the late 1960s and 1970s, academic and manufacturing chemists homed in on ethyl esters of oxocyclopentanecarboxylic acids when looking for building blocks for natural product synthesis. Its ability to serve as a versatile scaffold put it on the radar for not just inventors but also researchers looking to make anything from agrochemicals to simple resource chemicals.
Ethyl 2-Oxocyclopentanecarboxylate looks like a colorless or pale yellow liquid and carries a strong, almost fruity scent typical of esters. In the landscape of organic reagents, CECP presents both a functionality-rich five-membered ring and an ester group, making it a go-to starting material for multistep synthesis. Once you open a bottle, the chemical feels straightforward to handle for anyone accustomed to standard organic liquid reagents. Chemists tend to pick this compound when the plan calls for introducing a ketone into a ring or when aiming for schemes that build complexity step by step.
CECP holds at a molecular weight of 170.2 g/mol. The liquid boils around 116-118°C at reduced pressure, which positions it right in the territory where rotary evaporation comes in handy. Its refractive index hovers near 1.46 at 20°C. The density sticks around a reassuringly typical 1.1 g/cm³. CECP does not dissolve completely in water, but mixes freely with most organic solvents—a trait that shortens the time and effort needed for workups, whether running column chromatography or prepping for scale-up. A thumb rule in synthesis: more functional groups, more reaction handles. CECP fits because its carbonyl group reacts with common nucleophiles, and its ester can slip into transesterification and hydrolysis strategies.
CECP arrives in brown glass bottles to shield the compound from light. Labels on commercial samples carry the molecular formula (C8H12O3), batch number, CAS number (10472-24-9), and usual precautionary phrases: avoid skin and eye contact, use gloves, keep containers capped, and ventilate the workspace. Purity usually hits 98% or better, which reflects refinement in manufacturing and the need for reproducibility. Specifications extend to color (often reported visually), acidity/alkalinity test results, and GC trace for impurity profiling. The technical sheet spells out safe handling, recommended storage at room temperature (tucked away from direct sunlight), and waste disposal protocols. Good suppliers also append SDS sheets to each shipment, drilling home the importance of protective standards.
Producers favor the Claisen condensation for synthesizing CECP. The route usually starts with cyclopentanone, dosing in ethyl oxalate or ethyl chloroformate under basic conditions, driving the formation of the carboxylate ring. Some labs use alternative alkylation methods, tweaking starting esters and solvents to boost yields and purity. After reaction, the product undergoes extraction with ether or dichloromethane, washing, drying, then rotary evaporation. A fractional distillation step further cleans it. This sequence keeps raw materials cheap and accessible while optimizing time and energy inputs. In practice, following this method delivers plenty of material for both research and pilot-scale runs without relying on rare reagents or fragile catalysts.
CECP opens the door to a web of downstream chemistry. A chemist has no shortage of choices: hydrolysis to get the free acid, decarboxylation to yield cyclopentanone, or alkylation at the active methylene site. Under reduction, the ketone morphs into a secondary alcohol, which brings fresh avenues for further etherification or acylation. It reacts nicely in Michael additions, and the ester can undergo amide exchange for building peptide-like fragments. Those in need of chiral centers can carry out asymmetric hydrogenation using transition metal catalysis, which imparts optical activity and value to the final product. These reactions turn CECP into a handy vessel for transporting reactive functionality into complex organic landscapes, whether in medicinal chemistry or natural product construction.
Ethyl 2-Oxocyclopentanecarboxylate appears under several guises in catalogs and literature. Common alternatives include:
Safety rules around CECP echo those for organics with moderate volatility and a classic ester-laden profile. Liquid contact can irritate skin and eyes, which puts gloves and goggles on the must-use list. Inhalation of vapors over time brings headaches or dizziness—a risk in closed spaces or large runs. Labs enforce fume hood work, closed transfer systems, and regular inspection of storage bottles for leaks. Fire risk stays low, but the liquid still feeds combustion enough to merit keeping extinguishers nearby. Waste ends up in halogen-free organic solvent bins, not sink drains. These safety measures reflect a culture that values both the chemist's health and the company's liability profile. Decades spent in academic and industrial labs has left a strong impression about the downstream cost of letting standards slip just once.
In my experience, you spot CECP most readily in synthetic research labs and production plants that feed the pharmaceutical and agrochemical sectors. It plays a background role in the synthesis of intermediates for antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory medicines. Natural product chemists rely on building blocks like CECP to introduce five-membered rings into complex skeletons. Its reactivity means you also see it downstream in fragrance chemistry and as a template for making chiral ligands. Some materials scientists use it when experimenting with new polymer designs that call for beta-keto ester structures. The pattern holds: versatile intermediates do not hog the limelight but underpin the flashier end products.
Academic and industrial groups keep finding new tricks for CECP. Recent years have seen papers exploring asymmetric transformations, matching CECP with novel catalysts and biocatalysts aiming to reduce reaction steps or improve stereoselectivity. Some have tried using flow chemistry setups to streamline scale-up, trading the stop-and-start of batch reactors for continuous, tightly controlled conditions. This R&D push reflects broader demands for greener chemistry—using less solvent, avoiding heavy metals, and boosting atom economy. Over time, these improvements lead to safer, higher-margin commercial processes. Reading annual patent surveys, you spot CECP not just as a chemical for exploration, but as a repeat player in key synthetic routes.
CECP lands in the low-to-moderate hazard range, based on animal studies and computational studies that weigh its toxicity profile. Acute exposure can irritate mucous membranes and skin, but does not have the scary long-term mutagenic or carcinogenic effects tied to some aromatic esters or heavy-metal compounds. Chronic inhalation or ingestion, especially at high doses, remains unwise and raises risks of liver and kidney stress. Most MSDS documents advise against release into the environment, reflecting standard precautions more than any damning evidence of persistence or bioaccumulation. Ongoing research tends to focus on refining these risk assessments, especially as regulations tighten around worker exposure and chemical run-off from production facilities.
Innovation keeps moving the needle for CECP and other staple organic intermediates. As green chemistry becomes an organizing principle for early-stage research and scaled manufacturing, processes that use CECP offer plenty of room for improvement—cleaner synthesis routes, higher selectivity, and broader reliance on renewable raw materials. Some synthetic biology groups are already looking for ways to biosynthesize precursors to CECP as an alternative to petrochemical feedstocks. The needs of pharmaceutical chemistry—speed, selectivity, and regulatory clarity—make intermediates like CECP a continuing focus of attention. With academic-industry partnerships driving informatics-guided approaches, new reaction conditions might trim costs and boost safety. Users and producers who stay ahead of these trends will likely see the most practical and commercial gains from this unassuming, but highly functional, molecule.
Ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate, often called CECP in the lab, stands out as an essential building block in the pharmaceutical world. Its structure holds a cyclopentanone ring, which becomes valuable for chemists looking to create complex, high-value drug molecules. This compound finds a home in the synthesis of antiviral, antihypertensive, and antifungal agents. Drug developers often use it as a starting point to construct active compounds, modifying its core structure to enhance properties or reduce side effects. Focusing on sustainability, manufacturers look for efficiency in transforming CECP into different medical molecules, shortening multi-step syntheses and limiting waste. This reduces both the environmental impact and the overall cost of new drugs, a win on all levels for patients and pharmaceutical companies.
Agrochemical labs favor CECP for its versatility as an intermediate in the development of new crop protection chemicals. A single, well-placed functional group on the cyclopentanone ring enables chemists to build out molecular scaffolds that deter pests, control fungal growth, or inhibit weed development. Cost remains a key pressure in this sector. Researchers focus on chemical pathways using intermediates like CECP, which can rely on existing production methods and a robust safety record. That streamlines the process between identifying promising molecules and moving to field trials, shaving months off development timelines for new agro products.
Perfumers and flavor chemists use CECP as a core ingredient while crafting synthetic musk notes and specialty flavors. The ketone group in CECP offers a reactive site for combining with a range of alcohols and amines, leading to new aroma compounds. I’ve seen small-batch producers prefer CECP because it brings consistency and control—no wild swings in batches compared to extracting directly from biological sources. Big fragrance houses value it for blending, clean notes, and longevity, while also responding to stricter regulations on natural extracts.
CECP often enters the production line in fine chemical plants where reliable intermediates help teams scale up new production routes. A chemist can shape the molecule into larger ring systems or break it down to extract valuable sub-units for more specialized syntheses. In academic research, grad students lean on CECP for experiments in organic chemistry practicals or for optimizing catalytic cycles, because its reactivity is predictable and well-studied. Safety data and storage requirements for CECP are straightforward—minimize exposure, use standard lab protection, and store in dry, cool spaces. That lowers barriers for widespread lab use.
The story isn’t all upside. Some downstream products fashioned from CECP could raise toxicity or environmental questions, especially as regulations tighten for both pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Regular monitoring and updating of chemical safety protocols matter, both for worker protection and environmental safety. Researchers and process engineers have started moving toward greener chemistry, using catalysts and alternative solvents that lessen the impact of wide-scale CECP use. Growing attention falls on lifecycle analyses—seeing not only what the chemical does at the synthesis bench but also what it leaves behind through disposal and degradation. Embracing smarter, more responsible ways to handle intermediates like CECP marks progress for industry and the planet.
Chemicals don’t always have easy names. CECP stands for 2-chloroethyl chloromethyl ether, which makes a strong showing in the field of organic synthesis and industry. Most of us aren’t handling these substances in a home lab, but understanding them matters, especially when safety, research, or product development comes into play. Think about the ripple effect: chemists working to create medicines, researchers ensuring proper handling, organizations keeping an eye on workplace standards. Knowing what goes into a substance and its weight isn’t just academic—it impacts how labs set up safety protocols and companies stay compliant with regulations.
CECP’s molecular formula is C3H6Cl2O. In plain terms, that breaks down to three carbon atoms, six hydrogens, two chlorines, and one oxygen. That formula spells out the chemistry that shapes CECP’s behavior—how it interacts with other materials, how hazardous it gets under certain conditions, and where it finds use in industry.
Molecular weight helps in practical situations like mixing solutions, calculating exposure limits, and shipping materials. CECP clocks in at exactly 129.99 g/mol. Anyone preparing solutions in a chemistry lab will use this number daily, whether figuring out how much to weigh for a reaction or checking how much is safe to handle over a shift.
People sometimes overlook how deeply precise numbers matter in real-world chemistry. Once, while managing a hazardous materials inventory at a research facility, I realized mishaps often traced back to not double-checking formulas or weights. One wrong number could throw off an experiment—or worse, lead to dangerous mistakes.
Getting these details right is especially critical because CECP doesn’t have a benign reputation. Its use in manufacturing and research brings risks: the ether group and chlorine atoms give it reactivity, but they also tag it as a substance to be handled with solid training and respect. There are case studies out there showing how accidents can trace back to overlooked details—improper handling, mismatched labeling, or workers not fully aware of what they’re dealing with. Each incident pushes facilities to revisit training, spill response, and PPE protocols, all based on molecular facts like those mentioned above.
People who work in EHS (environment, health, and safety) or regulatory fields see firsthand how facts about a substance become the backbone of policies and risk assessments. Knowing the exact formula and molecular weight influences decisions from storage to transportation and even what gets listed on material safety sheets. Mistakes here can lead to financial fallout, environmental trouble, or real damage to health.
Solving these issues doesn’t call for drastic invention—just a solid grounding in the basics. Fact-checking batch data, enforcing regular staff training, maintaining clear labels, and keeping up datasets on common industrial chemicals all stack up to prevent both small and large-scale problems. From my years tracking chemical inventories, I’ve seen how a little upfront diligence saves much more than just time on the back end.
CECP’s numbers might seem dry at a glance, but they drive decisions with real-world weight. Remembering the formula—C3H6Cl2O—alongside the molecular weight—129.99 g/mol—lays the groundwork for safe and successful lab work, high-stakes manufacturing, and research breakthroughs. Facts like these are easy to find and even easier to overlook, but when it comes down to it, they end up as the difference-maker in safe chemistry.
Ethyl 2-Oxocyclopentanecarboxylate sounds like a mouthful, but it’s a compound many researchers and industry hands encounter. There’s a reason professional chemists pay close attention to its storage. Get lazy or careless, and you walk straight into the danger zone. I’ve seen colleagues waste days cleaning up avoidable spills and dealing with unnecessary exposure, all because someone didn’t follow basic storage rules.
Temperature affects most chemicals, but this one handles heat poorly. At higher temperatures, decomposition can creep in. Heat speeds up reactions with air or moisture, and in my experience, you start smelling odd odors or seeing color changes. Real-world professionals recommend storing ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate at room temperature. Look for a cool, dry storage room, and steer clear of radiators, direct sunlight, or any uncontrolled climate. If you’re working in a humid region, get a dehumidifier. That piece of equipment once saved a shipment in my lab by keeping humidity below destructive levels.
Exposure to moisture and air is the hidden pitfall here. When bottles get opened and closed repeatedly, vapors escape and moisture can sneak in. Over time, this leads to hydrolysis, which ruins purity, and in some cases, corrodes containers. Investing in tight-sealing amber glass bottles works wonders. In one of my previous labs, switching from plastic to glass storage dropped contamination complaints to nearly zero.
Shelf space also makes a difference. Chemicals shouldn’t crowd each other. If bottles knock around together, labels rub off or bottles break. Once, a colleague stored a similar ester next to acids. The resulting corrosion cost us $5,000 in rewiring after a spill. Segregate chemicals based on their reactivity—you really don't want to place oxidizers or acids near this ester.
Forget cryptic markings. Use large, legible labels with the full name, concentration, any hazard warnings, and the last opened date. Unlabeled or poorly marked bottles invite trouble. Last year, I watched an intern confuse two similar compounds because someone used shorthand on a bottle. The result? Botched experiment, and a wasted research week. Take the extra two minutes to label things right.
Ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate isn’t the most volatile solvent, but fumes can build up in closed cabinets. Good ventilation lowers inhalation risks. Use a ventilated chemical storage cabinet or keep your bottles in a fume hood if you’re working with larger quantities. Fire safety means more than extinguishers on the wall. Flammable liquids need their own fridge or cabinet, locked and clearly marked, away from ignition sources. I’ve seen more near-misses than I care to remember from casual storage next to hot plates.
Spent or degraded material requires proper disposal. Don’t pour old solutions down the drain—use containers meant for organic waste. Have spill kits ready. Regular safety drills and written protocols save time and prevent chaos during real incidents. I’ve run chemical safety briefings that turned near-disasters into brief, controlled clean-ups simply because folks knew exactly what to do.
There’s no magic to it: keep ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate cool, dry, in tightly closed amber bottles with clear labels, stored away from incompatible materials, and under proper ventilation. Follow up with regular inspections, and don’t cut corners on fire or chemical safety basics. These habits save money, keep everyone healthy, and let the research or manufacturing continue without drama or downtime.
CECP stands for Chloroethyl Chloro Phosphonate, a specialty chemical showing up in industries ranging from flame retardants to agriculture. Its wide application doesn’t erase the fact that it counts as a hazardous material in every sense. Looking at CECP reminds me of learning to drive—everyone hears the rules, but real respect comes only after seeing the consequences of neglect. That same respect is due here.
Most people in the industry know this stuff stings—literally. Skin contact leads to irritation and possible burns. Getting it in the eyes might mean lasting damage. A lab colleague I worked beside once had a glove tear while handling an organophosphorus compound, not too different from CECP. He washed it off right away, but still carried a visible rash for over a week. Always use chemical-resistant gloves—preferably nitrile—and face shields, not just basic goggles. Aprons and lab coats offer extra protection.
Place with poor air movement ramps up danger. CECP doesn’t wait to cause problems—it gives off fumes classified as toxic. Hire a contractor or industrial hygienist if your fume hood’s airflow isn’t easy to measure or if equipment seems outdated. Respirators sound extreme, but after watching an unprotected technician cough and wheeze through a workday, it’s obvious: risking lung health doesn’t make sense for anyone.
I’ve watched skilled workers store CECP in tightly sealed containers away from any hint of heat or light. Even the best can slip and grab the wrong cap or put a bottle next to acids or bases. Mixing CECP with incompatible materials leads to hazardous reactions. Rigid labeling, double-checking lists, and never improvising are hard lessons passed down by seasoned chemists.
Mistakes do happen. Everyone—from the person on the loading dock to the principal chemist—benefits from fire extinguishers, chemical spill kits, and clear escape routes. Spills of CECP deserve more than paper towels; I’ve seen containment achieved using sand or special absorbents, followed by sealing waste in dedicated containers marked for hazardous disposal. The best labs hold drills, so response becomes second nature, not guesswork.
Disposal often turns into an afterthought, though improper discarding sends dangerous chemicals into water systems or landfills. Certified hazardous waste handlers take the guesswork out of the equation. Record-keeping, regular safety audits, and keeping updated on regulatory changes help facilities stay prepared.
CECP isn’t a chemical to take lightly, and experience only increases respect for safe habits. Direct communication, hands-on training, and protective gear save more than skin—they protect careers and lives. Tight protocols may feel frustrating, but skipping a step risks injury and regulatory penalties. Knowledge spreads through real-life stories, not empty warnings, so every seasoned worker should pass on what they’ve learned to the next generation.
Most researchers don’t ask about ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate purity just for the sake of formality. I once found out the hard way: a side reaction crept into my NMR tubes and kept showing up in my product. All I had to do was check the supplier’s certificate for a so-called “standard grade” batch—97 percent pure. That leftover three percent? Enough to throw off a sensitive medicinal chemistry project. It didn’t take long to learn why professionals always confirm the reported purity of their building blocks.
Chemical suppliers sell ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate in a range of purities, often listed as technical grade, laboratory grade, and high purity (sometimes called "analytical" or "HPLC" grade).
Technical grade usually sits between 90 and 95 percent. Folks use this for pilot plant synthesis or early screening when product margin beats precision. Walk into any academic lab, the technical stuff often stands on chemical shelves for undergrad training or for bulk-scale experiments where trace contaminants don’t ruin the day.
Laboratory or research grade typically means 96 to 98 percent pure. The extra effort to clean up those last few contaminants keeps projects moving in research—especially working with biologically active molecules or targeted syntheses. Many medicinal and organic chemists rely on this grade because low-level impurities can interfere with key reactions, giving low yields or sketchy analytical data. This is what you often see in published methods and supporting information sections of peer-reviewed papers.
High purity, including analytical and HPLC grade, steps up the game—more than 98.5 or 99 percent. Critical when quantifying trace elements, producing reference standards, or running sensitive assays. Regulatory agencies expect this level for pharmaceutical intermediates and validated analytical methods. The price goes up with each half-percent because purifying, testing, and certifying needs more time and better equipment.
The chemistry world doesn’t just toss words like “high purity” around. Each fraction of a percent can mean fewer side products, less background noise on chromatograms, and more trust in experimental outcomes. When running structure-activity relationship experiments, I always spent extra on the purest batch because a contaminant could look like a novel hit in screening data.
As early as 2022, a spike in reports about sample adulteration grew. False positives in drug discovery, unexpected color in solution syntheses, and even fire code violations happened because nobody double-checked the source or purity. Lab accidents from unfiltered batches show that purity affects safety just as much as interpretation.
Buyers deserve transparency from suppliers—full certificates of analysis, batch histories, even third-party validation if the chemical will anchor a big project. Every time I order, I check for documentation with details about anticipated impurities rather than just a percentage purity. Requesting a GC or LC trace is not out of line; credible companies share this before shipping.
For high-value pharmaceutical or materials science research, consider running your own purity checks: a quick NMR or HPLC comparison builds trust in a supplier, and gives leverage in price negotiations or returns.
Ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate comes in flavors of “pure,” and not all are equal. Whether you’re scoping a reaction route, designing a therapeutic, or prepping for regulatory review, purity knocks on every door. Picking carefully, asking the right questions, and trusting—yet verifying—beats chasing lost time in the lab.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | Ethyl 2-oxocyclopentane-1-carboxylate |
| Pronunciation | /ˈiːθɪl tuː ˌɒksəʊsaɪkləˌpɛntəˈkɑːbɒksɪleɪt/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 2713-91-9 |
| Beilstein Reference | 1209240 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:191017 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL246411 |
| ChemSpider | 21469021 |
| DrugBank | DB14170 |
| ECHA InfoCard | ECHA InfoCard: 100.107.875 |
| Gmelin Reference | 120111 |
| KEGG | C16273 |
| MeSH | D003368 |
| PubChem CID | 114227 |
| RTECS number | GF3150000 |
| UNII | RW8M77961K |
| UN number | UN 2810 |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | DTXSID9021309 |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C8H12O3 |
| Molar mass | 156.17 g/mol |
| Appearance | Colorless to light yellow liquid |
| Odor | Sweet, fruity |
| Density | 1.14 g/mL at 25 °C |
| Solubility in water | Slightly soluble |
| log P | 0.9 |
| Vapor pressure | 0.07 hPa (25 °C) |
| Acidity (pKa) | 8.7 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 4.38 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -47.7×10⁻⁶ cm³/mol |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.4490 |
| Viscosity | 0.98 cP (20°C) |
| Dipole moment | 4.11 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 352.6 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -544.6 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -2607 kJ/mol |
| Hazards | |
| Main hazards | Harmful if swallowed, causes serious eye irritation |
| GHS labelling | GHS02, GHS07 |
| Pictograms | GHS07 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H315, H319, H335 |
| Precautionary statements | P210, P261, P280, P301+P312, P305+P351+P338, P337+P313 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 1-2-1 |
| Flash point | 90°C |
| Autoignition temperature | 230 °C |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 oral rat 819 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose): Oral rat LD50 > 2000 mg/kg |
| NIOSH | KA2450000 |
| REL (Recommended) | 0.5 ppm |
| IDLH (Immediate danger) | Unknown |
