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A gaseous alkene. Ethene is not normally present in the gaseous fraction of crude oil but can be obtained from heavier fractions by catalytic cracking. This is the principal industrial source. The compound is important as a starting material in the organic-chemicals industry (e.g. in the manufacture of ethanol) and as the starting material for the production of polyethene. Ethene is the first member of the homologous series of alkenes.