Main-Product

Propylene oxide (PO) is a critical organic chemical intermediate with the molecular formula CH₃CHCH₂O. and a molecular weight of 58.08 g/mol. Also known as 2-methyloxirane, 1,2-epoxypropane, or methyloxirane, this colorless, volatile liquid serves as a versatile building block in the production of numerous industrial chemicals and materials. With annual global production capacity of 11.5 million tons in 2024, propylene oxide ranks among the most important petrochemicals worldwide.

Propylene oxide is an epoxide containing a three-membered ring structure with an oxygen atom bridging two carbon atoms. The molecule has the IUPAC name 2-methyloxirane and possesses a chiral center, making it optically active, though it is typically produced and used as a racemic mixture.

Propylene oxide is highly reactive due to the strained three-membered epoxide ring. It readily undergoes ring-opening reactions with nucleophiles such as water, alcohols, amines, and acids. This reactivity makes it extremely useful as a chemical intermediate but also poses significant safety hazards.

Three main production processes dominate global propylene oxide manufacturing:

• Chlorohydrin Process
• Organic hydroperoxides mediated propylene oxidation
• Direct propylene oxidation 
  
  

References

1. Propylene oxide - Dongying City Longxing Chemical Co., Ltd.
2. Propylene oxide - Wikipedia
3. Propylene Oxide - PubChem
4. Dec 5, 2022 - Propylene oxide - American Chemical Society
5. Dec 12, 2024 - The Growing Impact of Propylene Oxide Applications - International Petrolchemical Technologies s.r.l.
6. Propylene oxide - U.S. Department of Commerce (DOE) - The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
7. (R)-(+)-Propylene oxide - ChemSpider
8. Jan 2013 - Guidelines for the distribution of Propylene Oxide, Revision 3 - petrochemicals europe
9. Dec 14, 2018 Revision - propylene oxide safety datasheet - balchem
10. Propylene oxide - CAMEO Chemicals

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