Chemistry
Poppers are a class of chemicals called alkyl nitrites. These are chemical compounds of structure R–ONO. In more formal terms, they are alkyl esters of nitrous acid.
The first few members of the series are volatile liquids; methyl nitrite and ethyl nitrite are gaseous at room temperature and pressure.
Organic nitrites are prepared from alcohols and sodium nitrite in sulfuric acid solution. They decompose slowly on standing, the decomposition products being oxides of nitrogen, water, the alcohol, and polymerization products of the aldehyde.
Physical and chemical properties (Sutton, 1963 for butyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite, and amyl nitrite):
| Isopropyl nitrite (2-propyl nitrite) | Isobutyl nitrite (2-methylpropyl nitrite) | Amyl nitrite (isoamyl nitrite, isopentyl nitrite) | Butyl nitrite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula | (CH3)2CHONO | (CH3)2CHCH2ONO | (CH3)2CHCH2CH2ONO | CH3(CH2)2CH2ONO |
| Molecular weight (g·mol−1) | 89.09 | 103.12 | 117.15 | 103.12 |
| Physical state | Clear pale yellow oil | Colorless liquid | Transparent liquid | Oily liquid |
| Boiling point (°C) | 39 °C at 760 mmHg | 67 | 97–99 | 78.2 |
| Specific gravity | 0.8702 (20/20 °C) | 0.872 | 0.9144 (0/4 °C) |
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