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| Names | |||
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| Preferred IUPAC name
But-2-ene1 | |||
| Other names
β-Butylene
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| Identifiers | |||
3D model (JSmol)
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| 1718755 1361341 | |||
| ChEBI |
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| ChemSpider | |||
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.003.140 | ||
| EC Number |
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| 25196 1140 1141 | |||
PubChem CID
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| RTECS number |
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| UNII |
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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| Properties | |||
| C4H8 | |||
| Molar mass | 56.108 g·mol−1 | ||
| Density | 0.641 g/ml (cis, 3.7 °C)2 0.626 g/ml (trans, 0.9 °C)3 | ||
| Melting point | −138.9 °C (−218.0 °F; 134.2 K) (cis)2 −105.5 °C (trans)3 | ||
| Boiling point | 0.8 to 3.7 °C (33.4 to 38.7 °F; 273.9 to 276.8 K) (Z = 3.7 °C)2 (E = 0.8 °C)3 | ||
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| Hazards4 | |||
| GHS labelling: | |||
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| Danger | |||
| H220 | |||
| P210, P377, P381, P403 | |||
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |||
| Flash point | −72 °C (−98 °F; 201 K)23 | ||
| 325 °C (617 °F; 598 K)23 | |||
| Related compounds | |||
Related butenes
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1-Butene cis-2-Butene trans-2-Butene Isobutene | ||
Related compounds
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Butane Butyne | ||
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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2-Butene is an acyclic alkene with four carbon atoms. It is the simplest alkene exhibiting cis/trans-isomerism (also known as (E/Z)-isomerism); that is, it exists as two geometric isomers cis-2-butene ((Z)-but-2-ene) and trans-2-butene ((E)-but-2-ene).
It is a petrochemical, produced by the catalytic cracking of crude oil or the dimerization of ethylene. Its main uses are in the production of high-octane gasoline (petrol) on alkylation units and butadiene,5 although some 2-butene is also used to produce the solvent butanone via hydration reaction to 2-butanol followed by oxidation.
The two isomers are extremely difficult to separate by distillation because of the proximity of their boiling points (~4 °C for cis and ~1 °C for trans6). However, separation is unnecessary in most industrial settings, as both isomers behave similarly in most of the desired reactions. A typical industrial 2-butene mixture is 70% (Z)-but-2-ene (cis-isomer) and 30% (E)-but-2-ene (trans-isomer). Butane and 1-butene are common impurities, present at 1% or more in industrial mixtures, which also contain smaller amounts of isobutene, butadiene and butyne.5
References
References
- International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (2014). Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry: IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013. The Royal Society of Chemistry. P-45.6.2. doi:10.1039/9781849733069. ISBN 978-0-85404-182-4.
- Record in the GESTIS Substance Database of the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- Record in the GESTIS Substance Database of the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- cis-2-Butene, International Chemical Safety Card 0397, Geneva: International Programme on Chemical Safety, March 1996. trans-2-Butene, International Chemical Safety Card 0398, Geneva: International Programme on Chemical Safety, March 1996.
- 2-Butene (PDF), SIDS Initial Assessment Report, Geneva: United Nations Environment Programme, February 1995.
- InChem: Chemical Safety Information from Intergovernmental Organizations Archived December 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine






