Everything about 2-butene totally explained
Butene, also known as butylene, is an
alkene with the formula
C4H8. It is a colourless gas that's present in
crude oil as a minor constituent so is mostly obtained by
cracking of long chain hydrocarbons left during refining of crude oil.The
polymer produced from butene is more expensive than alternatives with shorter carbon chains such as
polypropylene but is commonly used as a co-polymer (mixed with another polymer, either during or after reaction), such as in hot-melt adhesives.
Isomers
Among the molecules which have the
chemical formula 48 four
isomers are
alkenes. All four of these
hydrocarbons have four
carbon atoms and one
double bond in their
molecules, but have different
chemical structures. The
IUPAC and common names, respectively, of these
chemical compounds are:
| IUPAC name |
common name |
structure |
skeletal formula |
3D model |
| but-1-ene |
α-butylene |
|
|
|
| cis-but-2-ene |
cis-β-butylene |
|
|
|
| trans-but-2-ene |
trans-β-butylene |
|
|
|
| 2-methylpropene |
isobutylene |
|
|
|
In the chemical structures above, the small blue numbers in the structure images are the numbering of the atoms in the main backbone chain of the molecules. Other organic compounds have the formula C
4H
8, namely
cyclobutane and
methylcyclopropane, but are not alkenes and are not discussed here. There are also four-carbon cyclic alkenes such as
cyclobutene and
methylcyclopropene, but they don't have the formula C
4H
8 and are not discussed here.
All four of these isomers are
gases at room
temperature and
pressure, but can be liquefied by lowering the temperature or raising the pressure on them, in a manner similar to pressurised
butane. These gases are colourless, but do have distinct odours, and are highly
flammable. Although not naturally present in
petroleum in high percentages, they can be produced from
petrochemicals or by
catalytic cracking of
petroleum. Although they're stable compounds, the carbon-carbon double bonds make them more reactive than similar
alkanes, which are more inert compounds in various ways.
Because of the double bonds, these 4-carbon alkenes can act as
monomers in the formation of
polymers, as well as having other uses as
petrochemical intermediates. They are used in the production of
synthetic rubber. But-1-ene is a linear or normal
alpha-olefin and isobutylene is a branched alpha-olefin. In a rather low percentage, but-1-ene is used as one of the comonomers, along with other alpha-olefins, in the production of
high density polyethylene and
linear low density polyethylene.
Butyl rubber is made by cationic
polymerisation of isobutylene with about 2 - 7%
isoprene. Isobutylene is also used for the production of methyl
tert-butyl ether (
MTBE) and
isooctane, both of which improve the combustion of
gasoline.
Further Information
Get more info on '2-butene'.
|
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