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Propylene
At room temperature, propylene is a colorless, odorless gas, though when used as a fuel, it is mixed with minute quantities of foul-smelling sulfurous compounds (mercaptans) so that gas leaks can be readily detected.
Propylene has a higher density and boiling point than ethylene due to its greater size. It has a slightly lower boiling point than propane and is thus more volatile.
| Molecular weight |
C3H6 |
| Molar mass |
42.08 g/mol |
| Appearance |
colourless gas |
| Melting point |
-185.2 oC (88.0 K) |
| Boiling point |
-47.6 oC (225.5 K) |
| Solubility in water |
immiscible |
| Viscosity |
8.34 µPa·s at 16.7 oC |
Primary Uses
- Production of polypropylene plastic.
- Raw material in the manufacture of acetone, isopropyl benzene, isopropanol, isopropyl halides, propylene oxide
- Along with benzene, propylene is a key feedstock in the cumene process, a reaction carried out on industrial scales to produce acetone and phenol.
- Propylene is also used during the production of many other chemical products such as isopropanol (propan-2-ol), acrylonitrile, and propylene oxide.
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