butadieno

Butadieno, or 1,3-butadiene, is a colorless, highly flammable gas with the chemical formula C4H6. It is a conjugated diene consisting of two double bonds (CH2=CH-CH=CH2) that confer high reactivity toward polymerization and cycloaddition. In practice, it exists mainly as s-trans and s-cis conformers, with the trans form typically more stable.

Industrial production and supply of butadiene arise primarily from catalytic dehydrogenation of butane and other butane-rich streams in steam crackers, where it is produced as a coproduct with other olefins. It can also be formed during the cracking of n-butane and related refinery processes. Global availability is closely tied to petrochemical operations and refinery throughput.

The principal use of butadiene is as a monomer for synthetic rubber and related polymers. Free-radical or anionic polymerization yields polybutadiene and various copolymers; combining butadiene with styrene forms styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), a major component of tires. It is also used in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins and other copolymers, as well as in specialty rubbers, latexes, and plastics formulations.

Properties and safety and regulatory notes: Butadiene polymerizes readily and is often stored with inhibitors to prevent premature polymerization. It is highly flammable and can form explosive mixtures with air. Long-term exposure has been associated with carcinogenic effects, leading to strict occupational exposure limits and regulatory controls in many countries. Handling requires appropriate ventilation, monitoring, and safety protocols.