Diphenylketene

Diphenylketene is a chemical of the ketene family.

Physical appearance
Diphenylketene, like most disubstituted ketenes is a red/orange oil at room temperature and pressure.

Structure


Ph2C=C=O, molecular weight = 122.16, elemental analysis: C8H10O

Spectroscopic information
1H NMR - Ar protons only (delta shifts between 7 and 8 ppm, showing 1 doublet and two triplets.

UV/vis - Lambda max at 267nm

IR - charicteristic ketene abs. at 2100 cm-1

Chemistry and Reactivity
Diphenylketene can undergo nucleophilic attack from a host of nucleophiles, including alcohols, amines, and enolates with fairly slow rates. These rates can be increased in the presence of various catalysts. At present the mechanism of attack is unknown, but various work is underway to determine the exact mechanism.