Propene, also known as propylene, is an unsaturated organic

compound having the chemical formula C3H6. It has one double bond,
and is the second simplest member of the alkene class
ofhydrocarbons, and it is also second in natural abundance.

[edit]Properties

At room temperature, propene is a gas, and as with many

other alkenes, it is also colourless with a weak but unpleasant smell.[1]
Propene 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. It lacks strongly polar bonds, yet the molecule
has a small dipole moment due to its reduced symmetry (its point
group is Cs).
Propene has the same empirical formula as cyclopropane but their
atoms are connected in different ways, making these
molecules structural isomers.
Production

Propene is produced from fossil fuels - petroleum, natural gas and to

a much lesser extent coal. Propene is a byproduct of oil
refining and natural gas processing. Ethylene, propene, and other
compounds are produced by cracking larger hydrocarbon molecules.
Propene is separated byfractional distillation from hydrocarbon
mixtures obtained from cracking and other refining processes.
Another important petrochemical source of propene
is propane dehydrogenation. This route is popular in regions, such as
the Middle East, where there is an abundance of propane from oil/gas
operations. Less common sources of the chemical are the Fischer-
Tropsch process,metathesis of ethylene/butene and newer processes
that rely on the catalytic conversion ofmethanol.[2]
Propene production has remained static at around 35
million tonnes (Europe and North America only) from 2000–2008 but
has been increasing in East Asia, most notably Singapore and China.
[3][4]
Total world production of propene is currently about half that of
ethylene.
[edit]Uses

Propene is the second most important starting product in the

petrochemical industry after ethylene. It is the raw material for a wide
variety of products. Manufacturers of the
plasticpolypropylene account for nearly two thirds of all demand.
Polypropylene is, for example, needed for the production of films,
packaging, caps and closures as well as for other applications. In the
year 2008 the worldwide sales of propene reached a value of over 90
billion US dollars. [5]
Propene and benzene are converted to acetone and phenol via
the cumene process. Propene is also used to
produce isopropanol (propan-2-ol), acrylonitrile, propylene
oxide (epoxypropane) and epichlorohydrin.[6]
Reactions

Propene resembles other alkenes in that it

undergoes addition reactions relatively easily at room temperature.
The relative weakness of its double bond (which is less strong than
two single bonds) explains its tendency to react with substances that
can achieve this transformation. Alkene reactions include:
1) polymerization, 2) oxidation,
3) halogenation andhydrohalogenation, 4) alkylation, 5) hydration,
6) oligomerization, and 7) hydroformylation.
[edit]
Molecular formula C3H6

Molar mass 42.08 g mol−1

Appearance Colorless gas

 Density 1.81 kg/m3, gas (1.013 bar, 15 °C)
613.9 kg/m3, liquid

Melting point − 185.2 °C, 88 K, -301 °F

Boiling point − 47.6 °C, 226 K, -54 °F

Solubility in water 0.61 g/m3

Viscosity 8.34 µPa·s at 16.7 °C

Propene

IUPAC name[hide]

Propene

Alchenele
Hidrocarburile aciclice care contin in molecula o dubla legatura intre doi atomi de
carbon se numesc alchene. Alaturi de aceasta denumire mai este obisnuita si
denumirea de olefine, data acestor hidrocarburi datorita faptului ca derivatii lor
clorurati sau bromurati sunt lichide uleioase. S-a mai folosit denumirea de
hidrocarburi etilenice, data acestei serii dupa primul termen, etilena.

Structura
Cea mai simpla alchena este etilena, C2H4, care contine doi atomi de carbon
legati printr-o dubla legatura. Alchenele superioare pot fi considerate rezultate
din etilena prin inlocuirea unui atom de hidrogen cu radicali alchil, ca si in cazul
formarii hidrocarburilor saturate aciclice. Astfel, omologul superior al etilenei este
propena, CH2=CH-CH3. Omologul propenei este butena, C4H8. Dupa pozitia pe
care o ocupa dubla legatura in molecula la butena se deosebesc trei izomeri de
pozitie.

Nomenclatura
Alchenele au numele format prin inlocuirea terminatiei an din numele alcanului cu
alcelasi nuar de atomi de carbon in molecula cu terminatia ena. De exemplu
propan-propena, butan-butena. Catena se numeroteaza astfel incat pozitia dublei
legaturi sa fie indicata cu cel mai mic numar posibil. Formula generala
Din cauza dublei legaturi in moleculam alchenele au doi atomi de hidrogen mai
putin decat hidrocarburile saturate respective; prin urmare formula generala a
acestor hidrocarburi este CnH2n. Se observa seria omoloaga a cicloalcanilor. Ele
sunt deci izomere de formula bruta.

Proprietati fizice
La temperatura camerei, alchenele cu C2-C4 sunt gaze, urmatoarele, cu C5-C18
sunt lichide, iar cele cu mai mult de 18 atomi de carbon sunt solide. Punctele de
fierbere sunt cu cateva grade mai scazute decat cele ale alcanilor
corespunzatori. Densitatea lor este mai mare decat a alcanilor respectivi, insa
toate au o densitate mai mica decat 1. Alchenele sunt insolubile n apa, dar sunt
miscible cu dizolvatii organici.
Reacţii de adiţie
Reacţia de adiţie rezultă în ruperea legăturii π dintre atomii de carbon,
rezultând un alcan.
Adiţia hidrogenului
Alchenele adiţionează hidrogen molecular în
prezenţa catalizatorilor (metale tranziţionale: Ni, Pd, Pt), fiind divizate la
temperatură obişnuită sau ridicată. Se obţine alcanul, care are aceeaşi
catenă ca şi alchena.
Adiţia halogenilor
Prin adiţia halogenilor la alchene se obţin compuşi dihalogenaţi, în care cei
doi atomi de halogen sunt legaţi de doi atomi de carbon vecini (derivaţi
dihalogenaţi vecinali). Cel mai uşor se adiţionează clorul, apoi bromul.
Adiţia de clor sau de brom este imediată şi cantitativă. Decolorarea unei
soluţii brun-roşcate de brom în tetraclorură de carbon serveşte la
recunoaşterea şi la dozarea alchenelor.