Saturated vapour pressure of acetonitrile

J . DOJCANSKY and J . H E I N R I C H

Department of Chemical Engineering, Slovak Technical University,

880 37 Bratislava

Received 12 September 1973

The saturated vapour pressures of acetonitrile have been measured over

the range from 50 to 950 torr. The obtained data have been evaluated statis­
tically by using the Antoine equation. The found constants A = 7.27748,
В = 1424.47, С = 242.202 reproduce the values of pressure in torr with
a standard deviation, of 1.41.

In studying the properties of some acetonitrile solutions it was necessary to know

the data on the vapour pressure of this solvent. Since there were great discrepancies
in the data available in literature [1, 2, 4] the temperature dependence of vapour pressure
was determined experimentally.

Experimental

Acetonitrile obtained by rectifying a chemical grade product of Laborchemie Apolda

VEB did not contain any impurities according to the chromatographic analysis perfor­
med on an Hewlett — Packard apparatus. The vapour pressure was measured simul­
taneously by the static method according to Surový [6] and in an ebulliometer accord-
ing to Swietoslawski. The values of pressure were read on the scale of a mercury mano-
meter by means of a cathetometer accurate to ±0.2 torr; the temperature was measured
with a mercury thermometer accurate to ±0.05 K.

Results
The obtained data were correlated by the Antoine equation

log P = A — (1)
С + t

(where pressure P is given in torr and temperature t in °C) with the statistical weight
[8.9]

u C + t
'= \( У (0-2Y2~ /——V (0.05)2 1 \ (2)
[\2.303P/ \G + t/ J
The system of nonlinear equations ensuing from the least squares method was solved
by the Newton method. The following values of the constants in eqn (1) were calculated

A = 7.27748, В = 1424.472, G = 242.202. (3)

(Чн-ш. zvesti 28 {'!) 157-159 (1974) i e-y

 J. DOJCAXSKÝ, J. HEINRICH

T h e e x p e r i m e n t a l d a t a P E x (ebulliometric d a t a a r e d e n o t e d b y e) a r e c o n f r o n t e d
w i t h t h e v a l u e s Pc c a l c u l a t e d according t o (1) a n d (2) in T a b l e 1, t h e s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n
being

{4)
-ÍTZ-3—-1-41-

Table 1

T e m p e r a t u r e d e p e n d e n c e of t h e v a p o u r p r e s s u r e of a c e t o n i t r i l e

t pĽx pc pEx _ J
[°C] [torr] [torr]

15.1 55.2 55.1 0.1

20.1 70.6 70.3 0.3
25.2 89.4 89.2 0.2
30.7 114.4 114.2 0.2
35.0 137.2 137.6 -0.4
39.95 168.5 e 169.4 -0.9
40.0 169.7 169.7 0.0
44.9 207.3 207.0 0.3
50.1 253.5 253.6 -0.1
54.9 303.9 304.0 -0.1
60.0 367.7 366.3 1.4
64.4 428.9 428.0 0.9
64.95 435.8 e 436.3 -0.5
70.0 517.3 518.6 -1.3
73.05 575.4 e 574.1 1.3
75.1 610.4 614.0 -3.6
77.2 659.7 e 657.2 2.5
81.1 745.8 e 743.8 2.0
85.2 842.8 844.6 -1.8
88.2 924.0 925.0 -1.0
89.2 935.9 953.1 0.8

Discussion

T h e values of t h e v a p o u r pressure of a c e t o n i t r i l e o b t a i n e d b y us a r e n e a r t o t h e d a t a
of Brown [1]. T h e d a t a of Heim [4] d e v i a t e from o u r s especially a t lower t e m p e r a t u r e s .
T h e d a t a of Dreisbach [2] a r e m e r e l y a n e s t i m a t e a c c o r d i n g t o t h e boiling p o i n t b a s e d
on t h e Cox d i a g r a m . The}'' c a n n o t be c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e o t h e r s in t h e whole i n v e s t i g a t e d
p r e s s u r e r a n g e a n d c a n n o t be r e c o m m e n d e d .
T h e c i t e d original d a t a m a y b e f o u n d in t h e form of t h e c o n s t a n t s of t h e A n t o i n e
e q u a t i o n . Hála et al. [3] give t h e c o n s t a n t s b a s e d on t h e d a t a of Brown [1] while Wichterle
a n d Linek [8] use t h e c o n s t a n t s given b y Heim [4]. On t h e o t h e r h a n d , Weissberger [7]
t a k e s over t h e c o n s t a n t s of D r e i s b a c h . H e i m ' s d a t a h a v e b e e n processed g r a p h i c a l l y
in t a b l e s b y Stull [5].

Chcm. zvesti 28 (2) 157-150 (1974)

158
VAPOUR PRESSURE OF ACETONITRILE

References
1. Brown, I., Aust. J. Chem. 7, 269 (1954).
2. Dreisbach, R. R, and Martin, R. A., Ind. Eng. Chem. 41, 2875 (1949).
3. Hála, E., Wichterle, L, Polák, J., and Boublík, Т., Vapour —Liquid Equilibrium
Data, p. 23. Pergamem Press, Oxford, 1968.
4. Heim, D., Bull. Soc. Chim. Beiges 42, 467 (1933).
5. Stull, D. R., Ind. Eng. Chem. 39, 517 (1947).
6. Surový, J., Habilitation Thesis, p. 18. Slovak Technical University, Bratislava, 1969.
7. Weissberger, A. and Proskauer, E. S., Organic Solvents, p. 224. Wiley, New York,
1955.
8. Wichterle, I. and Linek, J., Antoine Vapor Pressure Constants of Pure Compounds,
p. 14. Academia, Prague, 1971.
9. Willingham, С. В., Taylor, W. J., Fignocco, J . M., and Rossini, F. D., J. Res. Nat.
Bur. Stand. 35, 219 (1954).
Translated by R. Doiuan.sk ý

Chem. zvesti 28 (2) 157-150 (1974)

159