propylene n : a flammable gas obtained by cracking petroleum; used in organic synthesis [syn: propene]

English

Noun

1. The common name for the organic chemical compound propene. An alkene which is a colorless gaseous (at room temperature and pressure) hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C3H6.

Synonyms

• IUPAC name: propene

Derived terms

• polypropylene
• propylene glycol
• propylene oxide

Translations

Propene, also known as propylene, is an unsaturated hydrocarbon having the chemical formula C3H6. It is the second simplest member of the alkene class of hydrocarbons, ethylene (ethene) being the simplest.

Propene is a colourless and flammable gas at room temperature and pressure. It is also odourless, so (as with most other gaseous hydrocarbons) it is mixed with minute quantites of mercaptans, sulfurous compounds with a powerful garlic smell to make it more easily detectable. It is found in coal gas and can be synthesized by cracking petroleum or by the dehydrogenation of propane. Propene is a major commodity in the petrochemicals industry, where its main use is as a monomer in production of polypropylene. It is also an intermediate in the production of various chemicals including acetone, isopropanol, acrylonitrile, and propylene oxide. Propene is also used as a fuel gas for various industrial processes. It has a similar calorific value to propane, but a lower mass of combustion products, so it has a higher flame temperature. Propylene also has significantly higher vapour pressure than propane at room temperature.

References