1butenos

1butenos refers to a small group of hydrocarbon compounds with the formula C4H8 that feature a carbon–carbon double bond at the first carbon of the chain. The principal member is but-1-ene (commonly called 1-butene), a straight-chain alkene with the structure CH2=CH-CH2-CH3. In most contexts, 1-butenes denotes but-1-ene, though commercial streams may also contain other butene isomers such as cis- or trans-2-butene, which are not 1-butenes but are common during production and processing.

But-1-ene is produced mainly in refinery processes that crack larger hydrocarbons, such as catalytic cracking of higher olefins, or through dehydrogenation steps that generate lighter olefins from saturated streams. The product mixture often contains small amounts of other butene isomers and related olefins. At room temperature, but-1-ene is a colorless gas with a characteristic hydrocarbon odor and is highly flammable; it has a low boiling point and is typically handled as a gas or refrigerated liquid in industrial settings.

Chemically, 1-butene behaves as a typical terminal alkene. It readily participates in addition reactions, including hydrogenation, halogenation, and hydrohalogenation, and it is a key monomer in polymer chemistry. In polymer production, 1-butene is used as a comonomer with ethylene to produce certain polyolefins, enhancing properties such as clarity and flexibility in the resulting materials.

Safety and handling are important considerations due to flammability and vapor pressure. Industrial use involves closed systems, proper ventilation, and leak detection to minimize risk to workers and the environment. See also 2-butene and olefin chemistry for related topics.