General Description
A colorless liquid with a hydrocarbon odor. Usually found as a technical grade consisting of a mixture of isomers. Insoluble in water. Used as a solvent in organic synthesis and as a polymerization inhibitor.
Reactivity Profile
The unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as 2-PENTENE, are generally much more reactive than the alkanes. Strong oxidizers may react vigorously with them. Reducing agents can react exothermically to release gaseous hydrogen. In the presence of various catalysts (such as acids) or initiators, compounds in this class can undergo very exothermic addition polymerization reactions.
Air & Water Reactions
Highly flammable. Insoluble in water.
Chemical Properties
colourless liquid
Physical properties
Clear, colorless, flammable liquid with a disagreeable odor.
Uses
cis-2-Pentene was used to study the adsorption of cis-2-pentene on clean and D2 preadsorbed Pd(111) surface.
Uses
Polymerization inhibitor; organic synthesis.
Source
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 cis-2-pentene was 10.4 mg/kg of pine burned. Emission rates of cis-2-pentene were not
measured during the combustion of oak and eucalyptus.
California Phase II reformulated gasoline contained cis-2-pentene at a concentration of 2.29
g/kg. Gas-phase tailpipe emission rates from gasoline-powered automobiles with and without
catalytic converters were 0.44 and 42.3 mg/km, respectively (Schauer et al., 2002).
Environmental Fate
Photolytic. The rate constant for the reaction of cis-2-pentene and OH radicals in the
atmosphere at 300 K is 3.9 x 10-13 cm3/molecule?sec (Hendry and Kenley, 1979). Atkinson (1990)
reported a rate constant of 6.50 x 10-11 cm3/molecule?sec for the same reaction.
Chemical/Physical. Complete combustion in air yields carbon dioxide and water.
Purification Methods
Dry it with sodium wire and fractionally distil it, or purify it by azeotropic distillation with MeOH, followed by washing out the MeOH with water, drying and distilling. Also purify it by chromatography through silica gel and alumina [Klassen & Ross J Phys Chem 91 3668 1987]. [Beilstein 1 IV 814.]
