Chemistry:Isobutylene

Short description: Unsaturated hydrocarbon compound (H2C=C(CH3)2)

Isobutylene

Names
Preferred IUPAC name 2-Methylprop-1-ene
Other names 2-Methylpropene Isobutene γ-Butylene 2-Methylpropylene Methylpropene
Identifiers
CAS Number	115-11-7 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEBI	CHEBI:43907 N
ChemSpider	7957 Y
EC Number	204-066-3
PubChem CID	8255
RTECS number	UD0890000
UNII	QA2LMR467H Y
UN number	1055 In Liquefied petroleum gas: 1075
InChI InChI=1S/C4H8/c1-4(2)3/h1H2,2-3H3 Y Key: VQTUBCCKSQIDNK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y InChI=1/C4H8/c1-4(2)3/h1H2,2-3H3
SMILES CC(=C)C
Properties
Chemical formula	C4H8
Molar mass	56.106 g/mol
Appearance	Colorless gas
Density	0.5879 g/cm3, liquid
Melting point	−140.3 °C (−220.5 °F; 132.8 K)
Boiling point	−6.9 °C (19.6 °F; 266.2 K)
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	-44.4·10−6 cm3/mol
Hazards
GHS pictograms
GHS Signal word	DANGER
GHS hazard statements	H220
GHS precautionary statements	P210, P377, P381, P403
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	4 1 0
Flash point	flammable gas
Autoignition temperature	465 °C (869 °F; 738 K)
Explosive limits	1.8–9.6%
Related compounds
Related butenes	1-Butene cis-2-Butene trans-2-Butene
Related compounds	Isobutane
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
N verify (what is YN ?)
Infobox references

Tracking categories (test):

• SizeSet

Isobutylene (or 2-methylpropene) is a hydrocarbon with the chemical formula (CH
3)
2C=CH
2. It is a four-carbon branched alkene (olefin), one of the four isomers of butylene. It is a colorless flammable gas, and is of considerable industrial value.

Production

Polymer and chemical grade isobutylene is typically obtained by dehydrating tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) or catalytic dehydrogenation of isobutane (Catofin or similar processes). Gasoline additives methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), respectively, are produced by reacting methanol or ethanol with isobutylene contained in butene streams from olefin steam crackers or refineries, or with isobutylene from dehydrated TBA. Isobutylene is not isolated from the olefin or refinery butene stream before the reaction, as separating the ethers from the remaining butenes is simpler. Isobutylene can also be produced in high purities by "back-cracking" MTBE or ETBE at high temperatures and then separating the isobutylene by distillation from methanol or

Isobutylene is a byproduct in the ethenolysis of diisobutylene to prepare neohexene:

[math]\displaystyle{ \ce{(CH3)3C-CH=C(CH3)2} + {\color{red}\ce{CH2=CH2}} \longrightarrow \ce{(CH3)3C-CH=}{\color{red}\ce{CH2}} + \ce{(CH3)2C=}{\color{red}\ce{CH2}} }[/math]

Uses

Isobutylene is used in the production of a variety of products. It is alkylated with butane to produce isooctane or dimerized to diisobutylene (DIB) and then hydrogenated to make isooctane, a fuel additive. Isobutylene is also used in the production of methacrolein. Polymerization of isobutylene produces butyl rubber (polyisobutylene or PIB). Antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) are produced by Friedel-Crafts alkylation of phenols with isobutylene.

tert-Butylamine is produced commercially by amination of isobutylene using zeolite catalysts:

[math]\ce{ NH3 + CH2=C(CH3)2 -> H2NC(CH3)3 }[/math]

Applications are found in the calibration of photoionization detectors.

Safety

Isobutylene is a highly flammable gas.

See also

• Butyl rubber
• Polythene
• Polybutene
• Perfluoroisobutene

External links

• International Chemical Safety Card 1027
• SIDS Initial Assessment Report for Isobutylene from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)