Acetonitrile Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

Acetonitrile prices in the United States, the highest-cost reporting region, surged 17.9% in Q2 2026 to USD 1,485.00/MT from USD 1,260.00/MT in Q1, extending the most dramatic single-quarter reversal recorded in this market in recent memory. That Q1 2026 reversal alone had seen prices jump 22.3%, as planned maintenance shutdowns at multiple Northeast Asian acrylonitrile facilities simultaneously removed co-product acetonitrile supply while active pharmaceutical restocking and battery electrolyte procurement competed for constrained availability. Globally, the average rose from USD 1,233.80/MT in Q1 to USD 1,384.64/MT in Q2, a 12.2% gain, following a jump of 20.7% in Q1. For H2 2026, a global average of USD 1,050.00-1,600.00/MT is expected, with supply tightness and steady pharmaceutical demand likely to keep this market firm.

Acetonitrile, also known as cyanomethane or methyl cyanide, is the simplest organic nitrile, a clear, colorless liquid with a sweet, ethereal odor obtained as a byproduct during the catalytic ammoxidation reaction that produces acrylonitrile from propylene and ammonia. It is used as a polar aprotic solvent in organic synthesis and in the purification of butadiene, with its biggest end-user being the pharmaceutical industry, where it is used to synthesize certain vitamins, amino acids, and cortisone, and in the production of insulin, antibiotics, and DNA synthesis, particularly through HPLC and API applications. Because this market is entirely dependent on acrylonitrile production as its supply source, any change in acrylonitrile plant operating rates, whether from planned maintenance or feedstock cost-driven output reductions, can dramatically affect acetonitrile availability and pricing. Acrylonitrile plant operating rates and maintenance schedules, pharmaceutical HPLC and API synthesis demand, and battery electrolyte procurement are what drive prices in this market.

Acetonitrile Price Forecast for 2026

The outlook for Acetonitrile through H2 2026 stays firm, tracking constrained co-product supply following planned maintenance shutdowns at multiple Northeast Asian acrylonitrile facilities. Steady demand from pharmaceutical manufacturing and electronic chemical applications should continue supporting consumption, with supply conditions remaining relatively tight due to maintenance activities at production facilities and moderate import availability.

The main upside risk is a further reduction in acrylonitrile plant operating rates, whether from additional maintenance shutdowns or feedstock cost-driven cutbacks, which could tighten co-product acetonitrile supply further and push prices higher than currently forecast. The main downside risk is a faster-than-expected resumption of acrylonitrile production following completed maintenance, which could ease the current supply tightness and soften prices.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

Acetonitrile Prices Q2 2026:

• United States: USD 1,485.00/MT
• Germany: USD 1,450.00/MT
• China: USD 1,366.00/MT
• India: USD 1,200.00/MT

Acetonitrile Prices in the United States

US Acetonitrile prices averaged USD 1,485.00/MT in Q2 2026, the highest of any region tracked here, up 17.9% from USD 1,260.00/MT in Q1, driven by supply tightness and strong export demand.

Why did the price of Acetonitrile change in Q2 2026 in the United States?

Supply tightness and exports continued supporting sharp price gains, with steady demand from pharmaceutical manufacturing and electronic chemical applications keeping supply conditions relatively tight due to maintenance activities at production facilities and moderate import availability.

Acetonitrile Prices in Germany

German prices averaged USD 1,450.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 7.4% from USD 1,350.00/MT in Q1, as steady pharmaceutical demand continued supporting this market.

Why did the price of Acetonitrile change in Q2 2026 in Germany?

Steady demand from pharmaceutical HPLC and API synthesis applications kept European buyers active even as feedstock acrylonitrile supply remained constrained by ongoing Northeast Asian plant maintenance.

Acetonitrile Prices in China

Chinese prices averaged USD 1,366.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 13.8% from USD 1,200.00/MT in Q1, as Northeast Asian acrylonitrile maintenance continued keeping this market elevated.

Why did the price of Acetonitrile change in Q2 2026 in China?

Planned maintenance shutdowns at multiple Northeast Asian acrylonitrile facilities continued removing co-product acetonitrile supply from the market, keeping this market elevated even as it remained comparatively affordable relative to Western import markets.

Acetonitrile Prices in India

Indian prices averaged USD 1,200.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 9.1% from USD 1,100.00/MT in Q1, as growing pharmaceutical synthesis demand continued driving gains.

Why did the price of Acetonitrile change in Q2 2026 in India?

Growing demand from India's expanding pharmaceutical synthesis and API manufacturing sector kept buyers competing for available supply even as global acetonitrile availability remained constrained.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

Acetonitrile Prices Q1 2026:

• United States: USD 1,260.00/MT
• Germany: USD 1,350.00/MT
• China: USD 1,200.00/MT
• India: USD 1,100.00/MT

Acetonitrile Prices in the United States

US prices surged 22.3% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,260.00/MT from USD 1,030.00/MT in Q4 2025, the most dramatic single-quarter reversal recorded in this market.

Why did the price of Acetonitrile change in Q1 2026 in the United States?

Q1 2026 delivered the most dramatic single-quarter reversal in the observed dataset, as planned maintenance shutdowns at multiple NEA acrylonitrile facilities simultaneously removed co-product acetonitrile supply while active pharmaceutical restocking and battery electrolyte procurement competed for constrained availability.

Acetonitrile Prices in Germany

German prices surged 18.4% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,350.00/MT from USD 1,140.00/MT in Q4 2025, tracking the broader supply-driven spike.

Why did the price of Acetonitrile change in Q1 2026 in Germany?

Feedstock ammonia displayed mixed trends, soft market conditions domestically through January and February, but tightening sharply by March as Middle East conflict disrupted a significant share of global ammonia trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz, effectively cutting off exports from several major Gulf producers.

Acetonitrile Prices in China

Chinese prices surged 22.4% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,200.00/MT from USD 980.00/MT in Q4 2025, as planned maintenance shutdowns at multiple NEA acrylonitrile facilities simultaneously removed co-product supply.

Why did the price of Acetonitrile change in Q1 2026 in China?

The Q1 2026 spike was directly caused by a cluster of planned maintenance shutdowns at NEA acrylonitrile facilities that simultaneously removed co-product acetonitrile supply from the market, an event that was not a factor in 2025, when prices had instead declined steadily through the year without significant planned outages.

Acetonitrile Prices in India

Indian prices surged 19.6% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,100.00/MT from USD 920.00/MT in Q4 2025, tracking the broader global supply constraint.

Why did the price of Acetonitrile change in Q1 2026 in India?

Downstream demand remained anchored to pharmaceutical HPLC and API synthesis, with agrochemical buying staying cautious even as the broader supply-driven price spike, tied to Northeast Asian acrylonitrile maintenance, pushed Indian prices sharply higher.

Quarterly Acetonitrile Price Trends

Global Acetonitrile prices declined steadily through 2025 without significant planned outages, before Q1 2026 delivered the most dramatic single-quarter reversal recorded in this market, as planned maintenance shutdowns at multiple Northeast Asian acrylonitrile facilities simultaneously removed co-product supply while active pharmaceutical restocking and battery electrolyte procurement competed for the constrained availability that followed, a trend that continued sharply into Q2.

What was Acetonitrile Price in 2025?

Acetonitrile declined steadily across every market covered in this report through 2025, without significant planned acrylonitrile plant outages to disrupt co-product supply, before an unprecedented cluster of Northeast Asian maintenance shutdowns triggered the most dramatic single-quarter reversal recorded in this market's history in Q1 2026.

Acetonitrile Prices in the United States in 2025

US prices declined from about USD 1,150.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,030.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 10.4%, before the extraordinary Q1 2026 reversal that followed.

Acetonitrile Prices in Germany in 2025

German prices declined from about USD 1,250.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,140.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 8.8%, the smallest annual decline of the four regions.

Acetonitrile Prices in China in 2025

Chinese prices declined from about USD 1,100.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 980.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 10.9%, the steepest annual decline of the four regions, before the dramatic reversal that followed once Northeast Asian acrylonitrile maintenance began.

Acetonitrile Prices in India in 2025

Indian prices declined from about USD 1,000.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 920.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 8.0%, tracking the broader steady 2025 decline before the sharp reversal that followed.

How We Can Help

Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Acetonitrile Price Intelligence

Expert Market Research tracks Acetonitrile prices continuously across every major producing and consuming region, combining acrylonitrile plant operating rate and maintenance schedule data, pharmaceutical HPLC and API synthesis demand signals, and battery electrolyte procurement trends into a single, regularly updated view of the market. Our team can help your procurement function benchmark current offers, plan purchases around the dramatic reversal covered in this report, and build a defensible view of where this essential pharmaceutical solvent is headed next. Reach out to our team for a tailored briefing or a deeper look at any of the regional markets covered here.