How do I identify Acetamide?

Acetamide can be identified by its hardness of 1 - 1.5 on the Mohs scale, Colourless color. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Acetamide?

Acetamide typically appears in Colourless, grey. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

How hard is Acetamide?

Acetamide has a hardness of 1 - 1.5 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a soft mineral that can be scratched easily.

Acetamide

A variety of Minerals

What is Acetamide?

Acetamide (systematic name: ethanamide) is an organic compound with the formula CH3CONH2. It is the simplest amide derived from acetic acid. It finds some use as a plasticizer and as an industrial solvent. The related compound N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) is more widely used, but it is not prepared from acetamide. Acetamide can be considered an intermediate between acetone, which has two methyl (CH3) groups either side of the carbonyl (CO), and urea which has two amide (NH2) groups in those locations.

Uses & Applications

Acetamide is used as a plasticizer and an industrial solvent. Molten acetamide is good solvent with a broad range of applicability. Notably, its dielectric constant is higher than most organic solvents, allowing it to dissolve inorganic compounds with solubilities closely analogous to that of water. Acetamide has uses in electrochemistry and the organic synthesis of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and antioxidants for plastics. It is a precursor to thioacetamide.

Acetamide Market Value Calculator

Estimate the market value of Acetamide using size, quality, and finish. This preview calculator is for quick context and is not a formal appraisal.

Acetamide Localities Map

See where Acetamide is found with a localities map, collecting zones, and geology context. Generate a sample map preview below.

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North ZoneCentral RidgeSouth Basin

Key Characteristics

Formation of Acetamide

Acetamide has been detected near the center of the Milky Way galaxy. This finding is potentially significant because acetamide has an amide bond, similar to the essential bond between amino acids in proteins. This finding lends support to the theory that organic molecules that can lead to life (as we know it on Earth) can form in space. On 30 July 2015, scientists reported that upon the first touchdown of the Philae lander on comet 67/P's surface, measurements by the COSAC and Ptolemy instruments revealed sixteen organic compounds, four of which – acetamide, acetone, methyl isocyanate, and propionaldehyde – were seen for the first time on a comet. In addition, acetamide is found infrequently on burning coal dumps, as a mineral of the same name.