ISO-Butane ((CH3)2CHCH3) is a colourless gas, soluble in water. Although its physical properties are similar to that of n-Butane, it exhibits markedly different chemical behavior. It is obtained by petroleum fractionation of natural gas or by isomerization of butane. It forms an explosive and flammable mixture with air at low concentrations. Its main uses are as a raw material in organic synthesis, for the production of synthetic rubber, and in the production of branched hydrocarbons of high octane grading.
Some of its physical characteristics are;
|Molecular weight: 58.12||Critical pressure: 3.647MPa|
|Melting point: 113.55 K||Critical density: 221 kg/m3|
|Normal boiling point: 261.4 K||Normal vapor density: 2.59 kg/m3|
|Critical temperature: 408.1 K||(@ 0°C, 1O1.3 kPa)|
Beaton, C. F. and Hewitt, G. F. (1989) Physical Properly Data for the Design Engineer. Hemisphere Publishing Corporation. New York.