Propylene oxide
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name
(2R)-2-Methyloxirane (2S)-2-Methyloxirane | |
| Other names
Propylene oxide Epoxypropane Propylene epoxide 1,2-Propylene oxide Methyl oxirane 1,2-Epoxypropane Propene oxide Methyl ethylene oxide Methylethylene oxide | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChEBI | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.800 |
| EC Number |
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| KEGG | |
PubChem CID |
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| UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |
| C3H6O | |
| Molar mass | 58.080 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | Colourless liquid |
| Odor | benzene-like |
| Density | 0.859 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | −111.9 °C (−169.4 °F; 161.2 K) |
| Boiling point | 35 °C (95 °F; 308 K) |
| 41% (20 °C) | |
| Vapor pressure | 445 mmHg (20 °C) |
| −4.25×10−5 cm3/mol | |
Refractive index (nD) |
1.3660 |
| Thermochemistry | |
Heat capacity (C) |
120.4 J·(K·mol)−1 |
Std molar entropy (S⦵298) |
196.5 J·(K·mol)−1 |
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
−123.0 kJ·mol−1 |
| Hazards | |
| Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH): | |
Main hazards |
Extremely flammable |
| GHS labelling: | |
| Danger | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| Flash point | −37 °C (−35 °F; 236 K) |
| 747 °C (1,377 °F; 1,020 K) | |
| Explosive limits | 2.3–36% |
| Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50 (median dose) |
660 mg/kg (guinea pig, oral) 380 mg/kg (rat, oral) 440 mg/kg (mouse, oral) 1140 mg/kg (rat, oral) 690 mg/kg (guinea pig, oral) |
LC50 (median concentration) |
1740 ppm (mouse, 4 h) 4000 ppm (rat, 4 h) |
LCLo (lowest published) |
2005 ppm (dog, 4 h) 4000 ppm (guinea pig, 4 h) |
| NIOSH (US health exposure limits): | |
PEL (Permissible) |
TWA 100 ppm (240 mg/m3) |
REL (Recommended) |
Ca |
IDLH (Immediate danger) |
Ca [400 ppm] |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references | |
Propylene oxide is an epoxide with the molecular formula C3H6O. This colourless volatile liquid with an odour similar to ether, is produced on a large scale industrially. Its major application is its use for the production of polyether polyols for use in making polyurethane plastics. It is a chiral epoxide, although it is commonly used as a racemic mixture.
This compound is sometimes called 1,2-propylene oxide to distinguish it from its isomer 1,3-propylene oxide, better known as oxetane.