1515. Butane

Nomenclature

CAS number: 106-97-8
n-Butane.
C4H10; mol wt 58.12.
C 82.66%, H 17.34%.

Description and references

Occurrence: in petroleum, Mabery, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 30, 143 (1908); in natural gas and in refinery cracking products. Prepd from C2H5I and sodium amalgam: L"owig, Jahresber. Fortschr. Chem. 1860, 397, Beilstein vol. 1, 118. Recovery of butanes from natural and refinery gases: Kirkbride, Bertelli, Ind. Eng. Chem. 35, 1242 (1943); Walters, ibid. 47, 2544 (1955); Gilmore, Bauer, Oil Gas J. 50, 84, 90, 94, 119 (1951), C.A. 46, 1743d (1952). Separation of butane and isobutane: Stone, Pet. Refin. 25(4), 164 (1946), C.A. 43, 2414 (1949). Handbook: Butane-Propane Gases, L. C. Denny et al., Eds. (Chilton Co., Los Angeles, 4th ed., 1962) 383 pp.

Chemical structure

Properties

Flammable gas. bp -0.50°. d(gas) 2.046 (air = 1). One vol of water dissolves 0.15 vol and 1 vol of alcohol 18 vols of the gas at 17° and 770 mm; 1 vol of ether or chloroform at 17° dissolves 25 or 30 vols of the gas, resp.

Caution

Potential symptoms of overexposure are drowsiness, narcosis, asphyxia; direct contact with liquid may cause frostbite. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p 34.

Use

As producer gas; raw material for motor fuels, in the manuf of synthetic rubbers.