Fluoroacetone

Fluoroacetone is an organic compound with the systematic name: 1-Fluoropropan-2-one. The structure is made up of an acetone group with a fluorine atom attached at one end of the carbon chain. The fluorine atom strongly changes the reactivity in comparison to the normal acetone molecule. This is caused by that fluorine strongly pulls electrons and that makes the carbonyl group in the compound more electrophilic and reactive. Some of the main reactions this compound can induce are nucleophilic addition, aldol reactions, alkylation, hydration and redox reactions. For example, fluoroacteone can be reduced to an alcohol through a nucleophilic addition using sodium borohydride. With the use of a base, fluoroacetone can build larger fluorinated molecules like ketones through aldol reactions. When in contact with air and heat, fluoroacetone forms an explosive mixture. Fluoroacetone has a low boiling point (75 °C), so it can mix with air when vaporized. When this vapor is exposed to heat or fire it can cause a combustion reaction. ==Synthesis==

The most common route to synthesize fluoroacetone is through a reaction of triethylamine tris-hydrofluoride with bromoacetone. This is done through nucleophilic halogen exchange. The bromide in bromoacetone gets replaced by the fluorine in triethylamine tris-hydrofluoride. ==Metabolism==

Fluoroacetone is metabolized through a process called lethal synthesis. This means that the body converts a molecule into a more toxic metabolite. In this case, fluoroacetone is first transformed into fluoroacetaldehyde and then into fluoroacetate through oxidation in the liver. The enzymes involved in this are alcohol dehydrogenases and aldehyde dehydrogenases. The fluoroacetate is activated by acetyl-CoA synthetase forming fluoroacetyl-CoA. This metabolic intermediate can then enter the citric acid cycle by mimicking acetyl-CoA. In the citric cycle, fluorocitrate is formed instead of citrate, which is normally formed. Fluorocitrate inhibits the enzyme aconitase and causes for the citric cycle to be blocked. ==Side Effects==

The blockage of the citric cycle can cause various side effects to occur. The main effects reported are neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory effects. Also, gastrointestinal symptoms and metabolic disturbances can appear. Fluoroacetone itself can be chemically irritating for skins, eyes and the respiratory tract. ==Toxicity==

The toxicity of fluoroacetone extends to all routes of exposure, including ingestion, skin absorption and inhalation. It has significant effects on the liver, kidneys and spleen. Lethal doses have been estimated based on animal studies and related fluorinated ketones and are approximately: • Rat: 2-10 mg/kg • Mouse: 50-200 mg/kg • Rabbit: 100-300 mg/kg ==See also==