Acetylene of 180°. Acetylene was discovered in 1836 by Edmund Davy, who identified it as a "new carburet of hydrogen". It was rediscovered in 1860 by French chemist Marcellin Berthelot, who coined the name "acétylène". Berthelot's empirical formula for acetylene (CH), as well as the alternative name "quadricarbure d'hydrogène" ("hydrogen quadricarbide"), were incorrect because chemists at that time used the wrong atomic mass for carbon (6 instead of 12). Berthelot was able to prepare this gas by passing vapours of organic compounds (methanol, ethanol, etc.) through a red-hot tube and collecting the effluent. He also found that acetylene was formed by
Acetylene situation applies to the conversion of acetylene to the valuable vinyl chloride by hydrochlorination vs the oxychlorination of ethylene. Acetylene adds to ketones and aldehydes in the presence of base catalysts. Formaldehyde gives sequentially propargyl alcohol and butynediol. Since acetylene has a pK of 25, acetylene can be deprotonated by a superbase to form an acetylide: Various organometallic and inorganic reagents are effective. The formation of the acetylide depends upon several factors such as the pK of the base, the valency of the metal, and solvent characteristics. Copper(I) acetylide and silver acetylide can be formed in aqueous solutions with ease