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2-butene
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2-butene

chemical compound
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Quick Summary

2-butene is one of four isomeric compounds that make up butene, an olefinic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C4H8. The other isomers are 1-butene, cis-2-butene, and isobutylene. All butenes are gases at room temperature and pressure.1

2-butene exists in two stereoisomeric forms: cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene. These isomers have the same chemical formula but differ in the spatial arrangement of their atoms around the double bond. While theoretically interconvertible, this process requires a significant amount of energy.2

Butenes are produced during petroleum cracking and can be made by dehydrogenating butanes. They are primarily used to produce octanes for gasoline, but can also be converted into butyl alcohols or butadiene, a key component in synthetic rubber production.13

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. butene
  2. isomerism - Cis and trans forms
  3. butadiene

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