Isobutane

Isobutane
Chemical structure of isobutane with all atoms explicitly shown
Chemical structure of isobutane with all atoms explicitly shown
Skeletal formula of isobutane
Skeletal formula of isobutane
Ball and stick model of isobutane
Ball and stick model of isobutane
Spacefill model of isobutane
Spacefill model of isobutane
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
2-Methylpropane
Other names
Isobutane, R600a
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
1730720
ChEBI
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.000.780 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 200-857-2
E number E943b (glazing agents, ...)
1301
KEGG
RTECS number
  • TZ4300000
UNII
UN number 1969
  • InChI=1S/C4H10/c1-4(2)3/h4H,1-3H3 checkY
    Key: NNPPMTNAJDCUHE-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  • CC(C)C
Properties
C4H10
Molar mass 58.124 g·mol−1
Appearance Colorless gas
Odor Odorless
Density
  • 2.51kg/m3 (at 15 °C, 100kPa)
  • 563 kg/m3 (at 15 °C, boiling liquid)
Melting point −159.42 °C (−254.96 °F; 113.73 K)
Boiling point −11.7 °C (10.9 °F; 261.4 K)
48.9mg⋅L−1 (at 25 °C (77 °F))
Vapor pressure 3.1 atm (310 kPa) (at 21 °C (294 K; 70 °F))
8.6nmol⋅Pa−1⋅kg−1
Conjugate acid Isobutanium
−51.7·10−6 cm3/mol
Thermochemistry
96.65J⋅K−1⋅mol−1
−134.8–−133.6kJ⋅mol−1
−2.86959–−2.86841MJ⋅mol−1
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS02: Flammable
Danger
H220
P210
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 1: Exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual injury. E.g. turpentineFlammability 4: Will rapidly or completely vaporize at normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, or is readily dispersed in air and will burn readily. Flash point below 23 °C (73 °F). E.g. propaneInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
1
4
0
Flash point −83 °C (−117 °F; 190 K)
460 °C (860 °F; 733 K)
Explosive limits 1.4–8.3%
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):
PEL (Permissible)
None
REL (Recommended)
TWA 800ppm (1900 mg/m3)
IDLH (Immediate danger)
N.D.
Safety data sheet (SDS) lindeus.com
Related compounds
Related alkane
Isopentane
Supplementary data page
Isobutane (data page)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Infobox references

Isobutane, also known as i-butane, 2-methylpropane or methylpropane, is a chemical compound with molecular formula HC(CH3)3. It is an isomer of butane. Isobutane is a colorless, odorless gas. It is the simplest alkane with a tertiary carbon atom. Isobutane is used as a precursor molecule in the petrochemical industry, for example in the synthesis of isooctane.

Production

Isobutane is obtained by isomerization of butane.

Uses

Isobutane is the principal feedstock in alkylation units of refineries. Using isobutane, gasoline-grade "blendstocks" are generated with high branching for good combustion characteristics. Typical products created with isobutane are 2,4-dimethylpentane and especially 2,2,4-trimethylpentane.

Typical acid-catalyzed route to 2,4-dimethylpentane.

Solvent

In the Chevron Phillips slurry process for making high-density polyethylene, isobutane is used as a diluent. As the slurried polyethylene is removed, isobutane is "flashed" off, and condensed, and recycled back into the loop reactor for this purpose.

Precursor to tert-butyl hydroperoxide

Isobutane is oxidized to tert-butyl hydroperoxide, which is subsequently reacted with propylene to yield propylene oxide. The tert-butanol that results as a by-product is typically used to make gasoline additives such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).

Miscellaneous uses

Isobutane is also used as a propellant for aerosol spray cans.

Isobutane is used as part of blended fuels, especially common in fuel canisters used for camping.

Refrigerant

Isobutane is used as a refrigerant. Use in refrigerators started in 1993 when Greenpeace presented the Greenfreeze project with the former East German company Foron [de]. In this regard, blends of pure, dry "isobutane" (R-600a) (that is, isobutane mixtures) have negligible ozone depletion potential and very low global warming potential (having a value of 3.3 times the GWP of carbon dioxide) and can serve as a functional replacement for R-12, R-22 (both of these being commonly known by the trademark Freon), R-134a, and other chlorofluorocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants in conventional stationary refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

As a refrigerant, isobutane poses a fire and explosion risk in addition to the hazards associated with non-flammable CFC refrigerants. Substitution of this refrigerant for motor vehicle air conditioning systems not originally designed for isobutane is widely prohibited or discouraged.

Vendors and advocates of hydrocarbon refrigerants argue against such bans on the grounds that there have been very few such incidents relative to the number of vehicle air conditioning systems filled with hydrocarbons.

Nomenclature

The traditional name isobutane was still retained in the 1993 IUPAC recommendations, but is no longer recommended according to the 2013 recommendations. Since the longest continuous chain in isobutane contains only three carbon atoms, the preferred IUPAC name is 2-methylpropane but the locant (2-) is typically omitted in general nomenclature as redundant; C2 is the only position on a propane chain where a methyl substituent can be located without altering the main chain and forming the constitutional isomer n-butane.


This page was last updated at 2023-11-25 15:51 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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