Ethylene

Ethylene toc

Cmedia type="custom" key="7317585"Hmedia type="custom" key="7317593" Jody Gazda



"Ethylene is the most produced organic compound in the world.   Global production of ethylene exceeded 107 million tonnes in 2005." [source1] (Mac users please save this file and open with [|iMol] .)

IUPAC name: Ethene Melting point: -169.2°C Boiling point: -104°C Density in natural state: Gas density (1.013 bar at boiling point) : 2.085 kg/m3 Gas density (1.013 bar and 15 °C (59 °F)) : 1.178 kg/m3 Molar mass: 28.05316 g/mol Molecular weight: 28.05 g/mol

=Where is it found? How is it obtained? =
 *  Ethylene is made by steam cracking. This process happens when gaseous hydrocarbons are temporarily heated to 750–950 °C. This creates many harsh reactions to happen. During steam cracking, large hydrocarbons end up being broken down and surrounded by smaller hydrocarbons. Another process used in oil refineries take large hydrocarbon molecules and "crack" them into smaller ones. **
 *  This organic compound is also found to be contained in plants. It acts as a natural hormone for plants and many fruits. **
 * Ethylene is found in most living tissues. Most terrestrial mammals exhale small amounts of Ethylene. In animals, Ethylene is not considered a hormone. In plants, it is. Ethylene helps promote ripening, induces fruit abscission, speeds the flowering process, promotes seed germination and root initiation, and induces vegetative dwarfing. ** [[image:ethene.jpg height="211" align="right"]]

=The structure =
 * **Ethylene has covalent bonding (the sharing of pairs of electrons between atoms). ** This hydrocarbon has four hydrogen atoms bonded to a pair of carbon atoms that are connected by a double bond. Two carbons are double bonded together, with two hydrogens on each carbon. All six atoms that make Ethylene are trigonal planar . The H-C-H angle is 119°. The H-C=C angle is 120°. The double bond in the Ethylene molecule is responsible for its useful reactivity. **

Percentage Composition by Number of Atoms **Carbon** - 2/6 = 33.33% **Hydrogen** - 4/6 = 66.67%

Percentage Composition by Mass of Atoms **Carbon** - 2 mol C * (12.01 g / mol C) = 24.02 g / 28.06 g = 86% **Hydrogen** - 4 mol H * (1.01 g / mol H) = 4.04 g / 28.06 g =14%

=Chemical properties/ Reaction tendencies? = Ethylene has a few major reactions. They are: 1) [|polymerization] polymerization is a process of reacting monomer molecules together. This causes a chemical reaction that forms polymer chains. 2) [|oxidation] Oxidation is a reaction where the atoms in an element lose electrons. 3) [|halogenation] and [|hydrohalogenation] A chemical reaction that attracts a halogen atom into a molecule. 4) [|alkylation] Alkylation the transfer of an alkyl group from one molecule to another. 5) [|hydration] A chemical reaction where a hydroxyl group and one proton are added to a compound. 6) [|oligomerization] A chemical reaction that results in a chain transfer. 7) [|hydroformylation]


 * Ethylene can react with numerous other chemicals to produce **
 * ethanol, solvents, gasoline additives, **
 * antifreeze, detergents, and many plastics. **

=<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">Uses = <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">


 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Ethylene reacts with numerous other chemicals to produce **
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">ethanol, solvents, gasoline additives, **
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">antifreeze, detergents, and many plastics. **


 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">In plants, ethylene is used as a **
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">hormone that speeds growth and promotes leaf fall and fruit ripening. **


 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Ethylene is also used in aluminum welding. See aluminum welding excerpt above right. **

=<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">Commercial Issues =
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Ethylene shortens shelf life of many fruits. Exposure to Ethylene speeds up the ripening process causing fruit to be "unsellable" at a faster pace. **

[[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Jjbecher.jpg width="125" height="158" align="right"]]
=<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">Historical =
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Ethylene was discovered by [|Johann Joachim Becher]. He conducted an experiment where he heated ethanol with sulfuric acid. Four Dutch chemists studied the properties of ethylene in 1795. Johann Rudolph Deimann, Adrien Paets van Troostwyck, Anthoni Lauwerenburgh and Nicolas Bondt found that Ethylene is different from hydrogen gas. It contains both carbon and hydrogen, two carbon atoms and four Hydrogen atoms. **

= SOURCES-LEARN MORE AT: = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;"> "Ethylene." // Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia //. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Ethylene Gas C2H4." // Mindfully.org | Mindfully Green //. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ethylene-Gas.htm>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Ethylene: Definition from Answers.com." // Answers.com: Wiki Q&A Combined with Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Encyclopedias //. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.answers.com/topic/ethylene>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">Eramo, By. "Ethylene, Propylene Demand Will Experience Increased Growth in 2005- 10 - Science News - RedOrbit." // RedOrbit â Science, Space, Technology, Health News and Information //. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/348609/ethylene_propylene_demand_will_experience_increased_growth_in_2005_10/>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Where Is Ethylene Found?" // Free Answers - IsFAQ.com //. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.isfaq.com/science/77081.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Ethylene in Fruit Physiology (PC98M)." // Postharvest Information Network Home, WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center //. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://postharvest.tfrec.wsu.edu/pgDisplay.php?article=PC98M>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px;">"Chemistry Tutorial : Properties, Uses & Production of Ethene." // AUS-e-TUTE for Astute Science Students //. Web. 01 Nov. 2010. <http://www.ausetute.com.au/ethene.html>.