.....................Octane, CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3, is a straight-chain hydrocarbon with poor burning
.....................charactistics in a 4-stroke engine. It has an octane number of -19.
.....................How can the burning characteristics of octane be improved?
In the petroleum industry octane is
passed through a catalytic cracker.
.................C8H18(g)
C4H10(g)
+ C4H8(g)
.....................Octane, in this example, is producing butane and 1-butene or 2-butene.
Butane is catalytically rearranged to
form methylpropane.
.................CH3CH2CH2CH3(g)
(CH3)3CH(g)
Methylpropane is reacted with 2-butene
forming iso-octane.
.................(CH3)3CH(g)
+ CH3CH=CHCH3(g)(CH3)3CCH2HC(CH3)2(g)
.....................The IUPAC name for iso-octane is 2,2,4-trimethylpentane. A different isomer of octane has been
......................produced and this one has better burning characteristics.
