Phenacetin

Product Name: Phenacetin
Synonyms: ACETOPHENETIDIN;ACETOPHENETIDINE;ACET-P-PHENETIDINE;ACETYL-P-PHENETIDINE;1-ACETYL-P-PHENETIDIN;4-ACETOPHENETIDIDE;4-acetophenetidine;4'-ETHOXYACETANILIDE
CAS: 62-44-2
MF: C10H13NO2
MW: 179.22
EINECS: 200-533-0
Product Categories: Others;Amines;Aromatics;Intermediates & Fine Chemicals;Pharmaceuticals;organic interme;Organics;Other APIs;API

Chemical Properties Phenacetin occurs at room temperature as white, odorless monoclinic prisms. It is soluble in water (more so in hot than cold water), alcohol, glycerol, and acetone and is slightly soluble in benzene. It is unstable to oxidizing agents, iodine, and nitrating agents (IARC 1977).
Uses Phenacetin was used as an analgesic and fever-reducing drug in both human and veterinary medicine for many years. It was introduced into therapy in 1887 and was extensively used in analgesic mixtures until it was implicated in kidney disease (nephropathy) due to abuse of analgesics (Flower et al. 1985) and was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1983 (Ronco and Flahault 1994, FDA 1998, 1999). Phenacetin also was previously used as a stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide in hair-bleaching preparations (IARC 1980, HSDB 2009).
Indications and Usage Phenacetin is mainly used as an antipyretic analgesic, with slow and lasting effects, treating headaches, neuralgia, joint pain, and fever, and weakly resisting rheumatism and inflammation. Because of toxic side effects and the rapid development of similar drugs, however, it is no longer used alone, only as a raw material in combination with other drugs. Commonly combined with aspirin and caffeine to form a less toxic compound aspirin used to treat the common cold. Can make chlorpheniramine cold tablets by adding a small amount of chlorpheniramine to the above compound, used to treat colds with headache, neuralgia, rheumatism, etc. Can be used as a material for organic synthesis or a pharmaceutical intermediate.