Propylene Oxide Prices

Chart Description. Intratec provides Propylene Oxide prices in several countries, as follows:

Chart Instructions. Hover the mouse over the series to view the respective Propylene Oxide prices plotted. You can filter a given Propylene Oxide price series by clicking on the respective legend label, right above the chart.

About Propylene Oxide. Propylene Oxide (a.k.a. PO, Epoxypropane, Methyl Oxirane) is a synthetic, highly-flammable, volatile, colorless liquid that is soluble in water and miscible with many organic solvents. This organic, highly reactive compound is a major commodity chemical, as well as starting material for several products, from polymers and solvents to industrial fluids. Propylene Oxide is produced mainly by the so-called chlorohydrin process, based on the reaction of propylene and chlorine in the presence of water to produce propylene chlorohydrin, which is dehydrochlorinated with a base. Liquor is used usually when the PO plant is integrated with a chlorine plant.

Chemical Formula. C3H6O

Commercial Grades. Chemical grade (ca. 8% propane); polymer grade (ca. 0.3% propane)

Uses. The polarity and the strained epoxide ring of Propylene Oxide make this chemical a highly reactive, versatile intermediate, used in the production of a broad range of products (e.g. surfactants; detergents; fumigant; synthetic lubricants; synthetic elastomers; solvent; food starch modified; food-packaging; adhesives; defoamer in food-contact paper/paperboard). The main uses of PO are in the production of polyether polyols, propylene glycols, and propylene glycol ethers.

Raw Materials & Production Processes.

• Propylene + chlorine + base (chlorohydrin process)
• Propylene + organic hydroperoxide (indirect oxidation process, coproduced with alcohols)
• Cumene hydroperoxide + propylene (Sumitomo cumene process, coprodduced with cumene)
• Propylene + hydrogen peroxide (direct oxidation process)

To know more about Propylene Oxide production processes, click here.

Derivatives. Acetone; allyl alcohol; propylene glycol.

Methodology. The pricing data presented are, if not otherwise indicated, volume-weighted average transaction prices including contract and spot transactions in the locations specified. The information provided is obtained from gathering and refining of trade data officially reported for the respective countries (i.e., governmental agencies, institutions related to foreign trade and industry publications). For further details check our Methodology.