2-Butanol

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2-Butanol

Chemical name	2-Butanol
Other names	Butan-2-ol sec-Butanol sec-Butyl alcohol
Chemical formula	C₄H₁₀O
Molecular mass	74.12 g/mol
CAS number	[78-92-2] (+): [4221-99-2] (-): [14898-79-4]
Density	0.808 g/cm³ at 20 °C
Melting point	-114.7 °C
Boiling point	99.5 °C
SMILES	CC(O)CC
NFPA 704	3 1 0
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2-Butanol, or sec-butanol, is the chemical compound with the formula CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OH. This secondary alcohol is a flammable, colorless liquid that is soluble in 12 parts water and completely miscible with polar organic solvent such as ethers and other alcohols. 2-Butanol is chiral and thus can be obtained as either of two stereoisomers designated as (R)-(-)-2-butanol and (S)-(+)-2-butanol. It is normally found as an equal mixture of the two stereoisomers, a so-called racemic mixture.

2-Butanol is used as a solvent, as an intermediate in the manufacture of other chemicals (such as butanone), in industrial cleaners, and in paint removers. Many of the volatile esters of 2-butanol have pleasant aromas and are used as perfumes or in artificial flavors.

2-Butanol is manufactured industrially by the hydration of 2-butene:

C₄H₈ + H₂O → C₄H₁₀O