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Acetaldehyde

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Synonyms

Acetic aldehyde; Ethanal

Definition

Acetaldehyde is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CHO . It is the smallest aldehyde after formaldehyde. It is a colorless liquid at room temperature with an irritating odor. It can be obtained by the oxidation of ethanol or by the reduction of acetic acid. When we drink alcohol, the ethanol is oxidized to acetaldehyde, by alcohol dehydrogenase, which is then oxidized to acetic acid by aldehyde dehydrogenase in the liver. It can be formed easily from gas mixtures containing methane by ultraviolet light and electric discharges, among others. It reacts with hydrogen cyanide and ammonia to give 2-aminopropionitrile, which gives alanine (amino acid) after hydrolysis. It has been detected in extracts from carbonaceous chondrites. Melting point: −123.5 °C, boiling point: −20.2 °C, density: 0.788 g cm −3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yokohama National University, Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, 240-8501, Yokohama, Japan

    Kensei Kobayashi

Authors
  1. Kensei Kobayashi
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Correspondence to Kensei Kobayashi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Kobayashi, K. (2014). Acetaldehyde. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_15-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_15-5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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