Potassium Iodide

General Information:

Structure:

CAS Number: 7681-11-0

Molecular Weight: 166.00 g/mol

Appearance: White crystalline solid

Melting Point: 681 C

Common Uses:

Reagent in substitution reactions (Finkelstein type reactions)

Procedure excerpt:

To a solution of the phenol (1.0 g, 6.4 mmol) in THF (30 mL) was added the alkyl chloride (1.1 g, 7.79 mmol), Cs2CO3 (5.2 g, 16.2 mmol), and KI (25 mg, 0.13 mmol). . . .

[full procedure]

Reagent in Sandmeyer reactions

Procedure excerpt:

. . .was added. The mixture was stirred at 0 C for 15 min, after which time was slowly added a solution of KI (4.2 g, 25 mmol) in H2O (100 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred . . .

[full procedure]

Safety:

Potassium iodide is relatively non-toxic. For example, potassium iodide is commonly used as a nutritional supplement. However, chronic overexposure can lead to thyroid problems. Potassium iodide is a mild irritant.

References:

1) Patent Reference: WO2014149164, page 267, (23.7 MB)

2) Patent Reference: WO2016011390, page 179, (20.2 MB)

3) Wikipedia: Potassium iodide (link)

4) www.sigmaaldrich.com: Potassium iodide (link)