Cyclobutene is a
cycloalkene
A cycloalkene or cycloolefin is a type of alkene hydrocarbon which contains a closed ring of carbon atoms and either one or more double bonds, but has no aromatic character. Some cycloalkenes, such as cyclobutene and cyclopentene, can be used as m ...
. It is of interest in research but currently has no practical applications. It is a colorless easily condensed gas. A modern synthesis involves the 2-step dehydration of
cyclobutanol
Cyclobutanol is an organic compound with the chemical formula C4H8O. It contains a cyclobutyl group with a hydroxyl
In chemistry, a hydroxy or hydroxyl group is a functional group with the chemical formula and composed of one oxygen atom ...
.
The compound was first prepared by
thermolysis
Thermal decomposition, or thermolysis, is a chemical decomposition caused by heat. The decomposition temperature of a substance is the temperature at which the substance chemically decomposes. The reaction is usually endothermic as heat is req ...
of the ammonium salt
4H7NMe3H.
Cyclobutene thermally isomerizes to 1,3-butadiene. This strongly exothermic reaction reflects the dominance of ring strain. In contrast, the corresponding equilibrium for
hexafluorocyclobutene
Hexafluorocyclobutene is the organofluorine compound with the formula (CF2)2(CF)2. A colorless gas, it is a precursor to a variety of compounds, including squaric acid. Hexafluorocyclobutene is prepared in two steps from chlorotrifluoroethylene. ...
disfavors
hexafluorobutadiene
Hexafluorobutadiene is an organofluorine compound with the formula (CF2=CF)2. A colorless gas, it has attracted attention as an etchant in microelectronics. It is the perfluoroanalogue of butadiene.
It can be prepared by coupling of C2 compound ...
.
See also
*
Cyclobutane
Cyclobutane is a cycloalkane and organic compound with the formula (CH2)4. Cyclobutane is a colourless gas and commercially available as a liquefied gas. Derivatives of cyclobutane are called cyclobutanes. Cyclobutane itself is of no commercial ...
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Cyclobutadiene
Cyclobutadiene is an organic compound with the formula . It is very reactive owing to its tendency to dimerize. Although the parent compound has not been isolated, some substituted derivatives are robust and a single molecule of cyclobutadiene is ...
*
Cyclobutyne
Cyclobutyne (C4H4) is a hydrocarbon molecule containing a triple bond within a four carbon atom ring. This cycloalkyne is very unstable due to its high ring strain and has not been isolated in the pure state. However, osmium coordination comp ...
*
Squaric acid
Squaric acid, also called quadratic acid because its four carbon atoms approximately form a square, is a diprotic organic acid with the chemical formula C4O2(OH)2.
The conjugate base of squaric acid is the hydrogensquarate anion ; and the conjug ...
References
Monomers
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