1-Hexene

changed changed 477207844 1-Hexene 1-hexene.svg Structural formula of 1-Hexene skin-invert 1-Hexene-3D-balls.png 1-Hexene molecule bg-transparent Hex-1-ene Hexene, Hexylene, Butyl ethylene C=CCCCC correct chemspider 11109 correct EBI 24579 11597 209-753-1 MP6670000 2370 B38ZZ8C206 1548726 1/C6H12/c1-3-5-6-4-2/h3H,1,4-6H2,2H3 LIKMAJRDDDTEIG-UHFFFAOYAY CCCCC=C correct chemspider 1S/C6H12/c1-3-5-6-4-2/h3H,1,4-6H2,2H3 correct chemspider LIKMAJRDDDTEIG-UHFFFAOYSA-N correct CAS 592-41-6 6 12 Colorless liquid 0.673 g/cm3 Insoluble −139.8 63 504 K (230 °C), 3.158 MPa 1.3879 0.51 cP (0.51 mPa·s) at 28°C 183.3 J/(mol K) 295.2 J/(mol K) External MSDS 02 07 08 Warning 225 304 319 210 233 240 241 242 243 264 280 301+310 303+361+353 305+351+338 331 337+313 370+378 403+235 405 501 1 3 0 1-Hexene https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/11597#section=NFPA-Hazard-Classification pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 10 February 2026 en 1-Hexene (hex-1-ene) is an organic compound with the formula C6H12. It is an alkene that is classified in industry as higher olefin and an alpha-olefin, the latter term meaning that the double bond is located at the alpha (primary) position, endowing the compound with higher reactivity and thus useful chemical properties. 1-Hexene is an industrially significant linear alpha olefin. It is a colourless liquid. Production 1-Hexene is commonly manufactured by two general routes: (i) full-range processes via the oligomerization of ethylene and (ii) on-purpose technology. A minor route to 1-hexene, used commercially on smaller scales, is the dehydration of hexanol. Prior to the 1970s, 1-hexene was also manufactured by the thermal cracking of waxes. Linear internal hexenes were manufactured by chlorination/dehydrochlorination of linear paraffins. Lappin, George (Editor), Alpha Olefins Applications Handbook, Marcel Dekker Inc., 978-0-8247-7895-8 Ethylene oligomerization combines ethylene molecules to produce linear alpha-olefins of various chain lengths with an even number of carbon atoms. This approach result in a distribution or “full range” of alpha-olefins. The Shell higher olefin process (SHOP) employs this approach. Linde and SABIC have developed the α-SABLIN technology using the oligomerization of ethylene to produce 21 percent 1-hexene. CP Chemicals and Innovene also have full-range processes. Typically, 1-hexene content ranges from about twenty percent distribution in the Ethyl (Innovene) process, whereas only twelve percent of distribution in the CP Chemicals and Idemitsu processes. An on purpose route to 1-hexene using ethylene trimerization was first brought on stream in Qatar in 2003 by Chevron-Phillips. A second plant was scheduled to start in 2011 in Saudi Arabia and a third planned for 2014 in the US.(18 October 2010) Chevron Phillips Chemical announces plans for world-scale 1-hexene plant https://web.archive.org/web/20141129125304/http://www.plastinfo.net/information/news/2544_18.10.2010/ 2014-11-29 Plastinfo, Plastics Industry Directory, Retrieved 30 September 2011 The Sasol process is also considered an on-purpose route to 1-hexene. Sasol commercially employs Fischer–Tropsch synthesis to make fuels from synthesis gas derived from coal. The synthesis recovers 1-hexene from the aforementioned fuel streams, where the initial 1-hexene concentration cut may be 60% in a narrow distillation, with the remainder being vinylidenes, linear and branched internal olefins, linear and branched paraffins, alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and aromatic compounds. The trimerization of ethylene by homogeneous catalysts has been demonstrated.David S. McGuinness, Peter Wasserscheid, Wilhelm Keim, David Morgan, John T. Dixon, Annette Bollmann, Hulisani Maumela, Fiona Hess, and Ulli Englert "First Cr(III)−SNS Complexes and Their Use as Highly Efficient Catalysts for the Trimerization of Ethylene to 1-Hexene" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2003, volume 125, pp 5272–5273. 10.1021/ja034752f. An alternative on-purpose route has been reported by Lummus Technology.http://www.ihs.com/products/chemical/technology/pep/reviews/lummus-cb-i-hexene-from-c4.aspx To make better decisions, you need to see the big picture Applications The primary use of 1-hexene is as a comonomer in production of polyethylene. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) use approximately 2–4% and 8–10% of comonomers, respectively.December 2025 Another significant use of 1-hexene is the production of the linear aldehyde heptanal via hydroformylation (oxo synthesis). Heptanal can be converted to the short-chain fatty acid heptanoic acid or the alcohol heptanol.December 2025 The chemical is used in the synthesis of flavors, perfumes, dyes and resins.December 2025 Hazards 1-Hexene is considered dangerous because in liquid and vapor form it is highly flammable and may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways. The widespread use of 1-hexene may result in its release to the environment through various waste streams. The substance is toxic to aquatic organisms.1-Hexene https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/1-hexene PubChem National Institutes of Health 21 January 2019 References External links Chemical Database, 1-HexeneAugust 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Category:Alkenes