The simplest raw material generally derived from various hydrocarbons, ethylene is the lightest olefinic hydrocarbon or organic hydrocarbon and is used extensively in the production of polymers like fibres, polymer plastics, and other organic chemicals. The two main feedstocks used to produce ethylene globally are naphtha and ethane. Butane, propane, coal, methanol to olefins (MTO), gas oil, and propane are among the additional feedstocks used in the production of ethylene.
The hydrocarbon ethylene, also known as ethene by the IUPAC, has the formula C2H4 or H2C=CH2. When pure, it is a colourless, flammable gas with a tinny "sweet and musky" smell. It is the most basic alkene (a hydrocarbon with carbon-carbon double bonds). The production of ethylene, which is used extensively in the chemical industry, far outpaces that of any other organic compound globally. A large portion of this production is used to create polyethylene, a common plastic made of polymer chains of ethylene units in different chain lengths. In agriculture, ethylene, a crucial natural plant hormone, is used to accelerate the ripening of fruits. Ethanol is ethylene's hydrate. The Global Ethylene Market was valued at US$ 107.65 billion and 146.6 million metric tons in 2016 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.7% in terms of revenue and 5.3% in terms of volume during 2017 – 2025. In the process of ethoxylation, ethylene is converted into ethylene oxide, a crucial raw material used to make detergents and surfactants. Along with higher molecular weight glycols, glycol ethers, and polyethylene terephthalate, ethylene oxide is also hydrolyzed to produce ethylene glycol, which is widely used as an automotive antifreeze. Acetaldehyde is produced when palladium undergoes the oxidation of ethylene. This conversion continues to be a significant industrial process (10M kg/y). The first step of the process involves complexing ethylene with a Pd(II) centre. Several processes are used in the petrochemical industry to produce ethylene. Steam cracking (SC), which involves heating hydrocarbons and steam to 750–950 °C, is a common technique. Large hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller ones during this process, which also adds unsaturation. Ethane produces ethylene when it is the feedstock. By repeatedly compressing and distilling the resulting mixture, ethylene is removed. Ethylene is primarily produced in Europe and Asia by cracking naphtha, gas oil, and condensates in conjunction with the production of propylene, C4 olefins, and aromatics (pyrolysis gasoline). The oxidative coupling of methane, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, methanol-to-olefins (MTO), and catalytic dehydrogenation are additional processes used to produce ethylene. A crucial ligand in transition metal alkene complexes is ethylene. Zeise's salt is an ethylene complex and one of the earliest organometallic substances. The useful chemicals Pt(PPh3)2(C2H4) and Rh2Cl2(C2H4)4 both contain ethylene. On an industrial scale, ethylene is hydroformylated with Rh to produce propionaldehyde. Johann Joachim Becher is thought to have made the discovery of ethylene. He produced the gas by heating ethanol with sulfuric acid, and he wrote about it in his book Physica Subterranea (1669).
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