Pyrrolidone

Pyrrolidone is a class of organic compounds that are cyclic amides. The most common and well-known member of this class is 2-pyrrolidone, also known as butyrolactam. 2-Pyrrolidone is a five-membered lactam ring. It is a colorless liquid or solid, depending on its purity and temperature, and is soluble in water and many organic solvents.

The primary industrial application of 2-pyrrolidone is as a precursor to N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP). NVP is a monomer used in the production of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a polymer with diverse applications. PVP is found in pharmaceuticals as a binder and disintegrant in tablets, in cosmetics as a film-former and emulsifier, and in industrial processes as a dispersant and stabilizer.

Other derivatives of pyrrolidone also exist, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone (NEP). NMP is a widely used polar aprotic solvent, valued for its high solvency power and stability. It finds application in petrochemical processing, electronics manufacturing, and as a solvent for polymers and coatings. NEP shares similar solvent properties to NMP and is also employed in industrial applications. The general pyrrolidone structure provides a versatile scaffold for various chemical modifications, leading to compounds with differing properties and uses.