Propene

Propene, also known as propylene, is a significant petrochemical base material that plays an essential role in the production of plastics. This colourless and odourless gas is processed into polypropylene by means of polymerisation, a versatile plastic that is used in a wide variety of applications. In fact, about 70% of the propene produced worldwide is polymerised into polypropylene, which underlines its economic importance.

Propene is produced mainly by thermal cracking of hydrocarbons. However, methanol production from natural gas as a source is also gaining increasing importance. Propene is classified as an unsaturated hydrocarbon (CH3-CH=CH2), which highlights its structural properties and its potential for diverse chemical reactions.