Propylene glycol
Overview
Propylene glycol, also called 1,2-propanediol or propane-1,2-diol, is an organic compound
(a diol
or double alcohol
) with formula C3H8O2 or HO-CH2-CHOH-CH3. It is a colorless, nearly odorless, clear, viscous liquid with a faintly sweet taste, hygroscopic and miscible with water
, acetone
, and chloroform
.
The compound is sometimes called α-propylene glycol to distinguish it from the isomer propane-1,3-diol
HO-(CH2)3-OH, also called β-propylene glycol.
Propylene glycol contains an asymmetrical carbon atom, so it exists in two stereoisomers.
Organic compound
An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of carbon-containing compounds such as carbides, carbonates, simple oxides of carbon, and cyanides, as well as the...
(a diol
Diol
A diol or glycol is a chemical compound containing two hydroxyl groups A geminal diol has two hydroxyl groups bonded to the same atom...
or double alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
) with formula C3H8O2 or HO-CH2-CHOH-CH3. It is a colorless, nearly odorless, clear, viscous liquid with a faintly sweet taste, hygroscopic and miscible with water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, acetone
Acetone
Acetone is the organic compound with the formula 2CO, a colorless, mobile, flammable liquid, the simplest example of the ketones.Acetone is miscible with water and serves as an important solvent in its own right, typically as the solvent of choice for cleaning purposes in the laboratory...
, and chloroform
Chloroform
Chloroform is an organic compound with formula CHCl3. It is one of the four chloromethanes. The colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid is a trihalomethane, and is considered somewhat hazardous...
.
The compound is sometimes called α-propylene glycol to distinguish it from the isomer propane-1,3-diol
1,3-Propanediol
1,3-Propanediol is the organic compound with the formula CH22. This three-carbon diol is a colorless viscous liquid that is miscible with water.-Products:...
HO-(CH2)3-OH, also called β-propylene glycol.
Propylene glycol contains an asymmetrical carbon atom, so it exists in two stereoisomers.
Unanswered Questions
