2-Methylbutane

2-Methylbutane MSDS (material safety data sheet) or SDS, CoA and CoQ, dossiers, brochures and other available documents.

• SDS
• CoA

Synonyms: iso-Pentane, Isopentane

CAS #: 78-78-4 
EC Number: 201-142-8 
Molar Mass: 72.15 g/mol 
Chemical Formula: C5H12 
Hill Formula: C₅H₁₂

TDS-Isopentane

We have the highest-quality isopentane, pentane, cyclopentane, petroleum ether, Isohexane and n-Heptane.

Key Specification Table

CAS #	EC Number	Hill Formula	Chemical Formula	Molar Mass
78-78-4	201-142-8	C₅H₁₂	C5H12	72.15 g/mol

2-Methylbutane Chemical Properties,Uses,Production

Chemical Properties

2-Methylbutane (isopentane), C5H12, is a flammable liquid and exhibits physical properties very similar to those of pentane. It has been detected in urban air.

2-Methylbutane is an alkane that is butane substituted by a methyl group at position 2.  It has a higher BP than butane because, although similarly branched, it has a higher MW. A useful analogy for comparing molecules with the same size of longest chain is that of cylindrical-shaped molecules. It has a role as a refrigerant. Biological samples flash frozen for example with a combination of liquid nitrogen and methylbutane can then be used for storage, cryosection, etc.

Physical properties

Clear, colorless, watery, very flammable liquid with a pleasant odor. Evaporates quickly when spilled. An odor threshold concentration of 1.3 ppm_v was reported by Nagata and Takeuchi (1990).

Uses

Isopentane is an organic, branched-chain alkane with five carbon atoms. 2-Methylbutane undergoes catalytic dehydrogenation in the presence of chromia-alumina catalyst to form isoamylenes, which can undergo further dehydrogenation to form isoprene. It may also be used as a solvent in the preparation of trans-Bis(triethylphosphine) (hydroxy carbonyl) (phenyl) platinum(II), a metallacarboxylic acid.

Uses

2-Methylbutane is used as a chemical intermediate. It acts as a blowing agent for polystyrene and gasoline additive. It is used as a solvent of polyethylene and involved in the preparation of polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam. Further, it is used in a closed loop in geothermal power production to operate turbines. In addition to this, it is used to freeze biological samples like tissues in place of dry ice for cryosectioning in histology.

Uses

Solvent, manufacture of chlorinated derivatives, blowing agent for polystyrene.

Definition

ChEBI: An alkane that is butane substituted by a methyl group at position 2.

Production Methods

Isopentane is produced by fractional distillation of natural gas liquids and crude oil.

General Description

Watery colorless liquid with a gasoline-like odor. Floats on water. Flammable, irritating vapor is produced. Boiling point is 82°F.

Air & Water Reactions

Highly flammable. Insoluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

2-Methylbutane is a fire and explosion hazard when in contact with oxidizing agents. .

Hazard

Highly flammable, dangerous fire risk.

Health Hazard

Inhalation causes irritation of respiratory tract, cough, mild depression, irregular heartbeat. Aspiration causes severe lung irritation, coughing, pulmonary edema; excitement followed by depression. Ingestion causes nausea, vomiting, swelling of abdomen, headache, depression.

Fire Hazard

Behavior in Fire: Highly volatile liquid. Vapors may explode when mixed with air.

Safety Profile

Mddly toxic and narcotic by inhalation. See also PENTANE. Flammable liquid. A very dangerous fire and explosion hazard when exposed to heat, flame, or oxidzers. Keep away from sparks, heat, or open flame; can react with oxidizing materials. To fight fire, use foam, CO2, dry chemical. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Source

A constituent in gasoline. Harley et al. (2000) analyzed the headspace vapors of three grades of unleaded gasoline where ethanol was added to replace methyl tert-butyl ether. The gasoline vapor concentrations of 2-methylbutane in the headspace were 24.1 wt % for regular grade, 24.8 wt % for mid-grade, and 26.0 wt % for premium grade.
Schauer et al. (2001) measured organic compound emission rates for volatile organic compounds, gas-phase semi-volatile organic compounds, and particle-phase organic compounds from the residential (fireplace) combustion of pine, oak, and eucalyptus. The gas-phase emission rate of 2-methylbutane was 5.6 mg/kg of pine burned. Emission rates of 2-methylbutane were not measured during the combustion of oak and eucalyptus.
California Phase II reformulated gasoline contained 2-methylbutane at a concentration of 79.2g/kg. Gas-phase tailpipe emission rates from gasoline-powered automobiles with and without catalytic converters were 3.69 and 148 μg/km, respectively (Schauer et al., 2002).

Environmental Fate

Photolytic. When synthetic air containing gaseous nitrous acid and 2-methylbutane was exposed to artificial sunlight (λ = 300–450 nm), acetone, acetaldehyde, methyl nitrate, peroxy-acetal nitrate, propyl nitrate, and pentyl nitrate were formed (Cox et al., 1980).
Based upon a photooxidation rate constant of 3.90 x 10^-12 cm³/molecule?sec with OH radicals in summer daylight, the atmospheric lifetime is 36 h (Altshuller, 1991). At atmospheric pressure and 300 K, Darnall et al. (1978) reported a rate constant of 3.78 x 10^-12 cm³/molecule?sec for the same reaction.
Cox et al. (1980) reported a rate constant of 5.0 x 10^-11 cm³/molecule?sec for the reaction of gaseous 2-methylbutane with OH radicals based on a value of 8 x 10^-12 cm³/molecule?sec for the reaction of ethylene with OH radicals.
Chemical/Physical. Complete combustion in air produces carbon dioxide and water vapor.
2-Methylbutane will not hydrolyze because it does not contain a hydrolyzable functional group.

Purification Methods

Stir isopentane for several hours in the cold with conc H2SO4 (to remove olefinic impurities), then wash it with H2O, aqueous Na2CO3 and H2O again. Dry it with MgSO4 and fractionally distil it using a Todd column packed with glass helices. Material transparent down to 180nm is obtained by distilling from sodium wire, and passing through a column of silica gel which had previously been dried in place at 350o for 12hours before use. [Potts J Phys Chem 20 809 1952, Beilstein 1 IV 320.]

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Isopentane is an organic compound with a variety of uses, ranging from being an ingredient in cosmetics to being a component in a type of geothermal power plant. This solvent is extremely flammable. Its tendency to evaporate makes it useful for dissolving compounds, since it is easily evaporated away. This chemical smells like gasoline and does not dissolve in water, but floats on top of it. It is considered harmful to the environment.

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Also known as methylbutane, this compound has a formula of C5H12. It is known as a hydrocarbon, since it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms. The structure of this compound is CH3CHCH2CH3, with a methyl — CH3 — group attached to the second carbon. Pentane has the same formula, but has a structure of CH3CH2CH2CH2CH3 with no branching. These two compounds are known as structural isomers.

This branching lowers the boiling point of isopentane, compared to pentane. Its boiling point is only 103°F (27.9°C). The flash point of this compound is relatively high, at -68°F (-55°C). This combination of characteristics is responsible for the extreme flammability of the chemical. If there is a fire, one should not spray water on it. That can result in the compound floating to the top of the water, and possibly catching fire again.

Mixed with other compounds, however, isopentane can be quite stable. It is often used in a range of cosmetics, including shaving gel, body wash, and specific types of toothpaste. The manufacture of insulation is another use for this compound.

In laboratories, isopentane is used to make a bath in liquid nitrogen. It is quite common to prepare tissues for storage at -94°F (-70°C) by immersing them in liquid nitrogen. This process of flash freezing preserves such biological samples.

A container of isopentane can be put into a larger container of liquid nitrogen. When the solvent becomes cloudy, it is near freezing. It is then removed from the liquid nitrogen and used to freeze the specimen. It is important to let the solvent evaporate before the sample is stored in a freezer.

Another use of isopentane is in a type of geothermal plant known as a binary cycle power plant. Geothermal plants tap into heat energy deep in the earth and convert it to electricity. This kind of geothermal plant can use cooler reservoirs than other types. This is because the hot water from the geothermal energy heats liquid isopentane and turns it into a gas. This gas then drives a turbine and generator to generate the power plant’s electricity.

The density of isopentane is 0.616 g/ml. Its molecular weight is 72.15 g/mol. It is important to remember that this compound is classified as a lung, skin, and eye irritant.

The cooling water pumps cool down steam or fluid, depending on the application:

• Binary Cycle Geothermal Plant Organic Rankine or Kalina Cycle: working fluid (i.e. isopentane for Rankine cycle or a mixture of ammonia and water for Kalina cycle) coming from the gas expander.
• Dry Steam Geothermal Plant: the exhaust dry steam coming from the steam turbine.
• Flash/Binary Cycle Geothermal Plant: the exhaust flashed steam coming from the steam turbine and the exhaust flashed working fluid (i.e. isopentane for Rankine cycle or a mixture of ammonia and water for Kalina cycle) coming from the gas expander.
• Flash Steam Geothermal Plant: the exhaust flashed steam coming from the steam turbine.

The Geothermal Energy Sector in Guadeloupe

Bouillante Site

Bouillante is currently the only geothermal power plant in the Caribbean, and the first of its kind to produce electricity at an industrial scale in France. Geothermal-powered electricity production began in 1996, with total production increasing to 15 MW once Bouillante 2 was brought on line in 2003. Electricity generated here accounts for 5% total generation in Guadeloupe. Cyclical phenomena brought down production between 2007 and 2010, but production has rebounded since 2013 even though major refurbishing and maintenance work have prevented the plant from reaching its maximum potential of 100 GWh.

In March 2016, ORMAT Technologies, Inc., a U.S. company based in Reno, Nevada, signed an Investment and Equity Investment Protocol with SAGEOS, a holding company and fully owned subsidiary of BRGM (French geological survey), to gradually acquire 85% of SA Géothermie Bouillante.

Geothermal energy is especially attractive since Guadeloupe is an archipelago.

• Production can be fully controlled, unlike photovoltaics, for example, which depends on sunlight conditions
• Production costs are about half those of fossil fuel power plants and are not vulnerable to fluctuations in the world market
• Associated CO₂ emissions are low

Bouillante 1

The history of the Bouillante power plant dates back to the 1960s, when BRGM drilled the initial wells, and 1970s, when EURAFREP drilled four deep wells.

One of these, a well over 300 m deep, was able to extract sufficient geothermal fluid to power a steam turbine. This discovery led to the construction of a 5 MW-capacity unit in 1984. Bouillante 1 was commissioned in 1986 by EDF and taken over by the BRGM in 1995.

Bouillante 2

A second drilling campaign began in 2000 to increase the plant’s capacity and improve performance of the available reservoir. Four wells were drilled between 2000 and 2001, accompanied by a second above-ground unit that was commissioned in 2005. The new production unit, Bouillante 2, increased total production to 15 MW and provides approximately 6% of Guadeloupe’s electricity needs.

Isopentane (isopentane, 2-methylbutane) also known as 2-methylbutane, chemical formula C5H12, colorless transparent volatile liquid, has a pleasant aroma. It is mainly used in organic synthesis and solvent.

Dangerous goods mark F +, xn, n
Hazard code 12-51 / 53-65-66-67
Safety instructions 9-16-29-33-61-62
Dangerous goods transport number UN 1265 3 / PG 1
WGK Germany 2
RTECS ek4430000
HazardClass 3
PackingGroup I
Toxic substances data 78-78-4

Product Uses
It can be used as solvent for catalyst in polyethylene production, foaming agent for expandable polystyrene, foaming agent for polyurethane foam system, deasphalting solvent and so on.
When used as solvent, it has the same effect as pentane, hexane and heptane, but its solubility is slightly lower than that of pentane. The product has high octane number and can be used as fuel for automobiles and airplanes.