Acetone azine
# Acetone azine

Acetone azine is the simplest ketazine. It is an intermediate in some hydrazine manufacturing processes.

## Synthesis

Acetone azine can be prepared from acetone and hydrazine:

    2 $(CH_3)_2CO$ + $N_2H_4$ → 2 $H_2O$ + $[(CH_3)_2C=N]_2$

It can also be produced from acetone (2 eq.), ammonia (2 eq.) and hydrogen peroxide (1 eq.). The first step is the formation of acetone imine, $Me_2C=NH;$ this is then oxidized by hydrogen peroxide through a complex mechanism to give 3,3-dimethyloxaziridine, which reacts with a further molecule of ammonia to produce acetone hydrazone. The hydrazone then condenses with a further molecule of acetone to produce the azine. The acetone azine product is distilled out of the reaction mixture as a 1:6 azeotrope with water.

## Reactions

Acetone azine can be used to prepare acetone hydrazone and 2-diazopropane [fr].

Hydrazine can be produced through acid-catalysed hydrolysis of acetone azine:

    2 $H_2O$ + $[(CH_3)_2C=N]_2$ → 2 $(CH_3)_2CO$ + $N_2H_4$
