Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
IMPORTANT ORGANIC CHEMICALS
1999 UNITED STATES ANNUAL PRODUCTION
Ethylene
Propylene
Ethylene dichloride
Benzene
Vinyl chloride
Methyl t-butyl ether
Ethyl benzene
Methanol
Terephthalic acid
Styrene
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
BILLIONS OF POUNDS/YEAR
All of the above high-volume organic chemicals are obtained from petroleum
or natural gas. This is why the modern organic chemical industry is frequently
referred to as the “petrochemical industry.” The high-volume status of some
of these compounds is due to their use to make others lower on the list. For
example, ethylene is used to make ethylene dichloride, which, in turn, is
used to make vinyl chloride. Ethyl benzene, made from benzene and ethyl-
ene, is used to make styrene. Methyl
-butyl ether is made from methanol
and butylene, a captive intermediate for which production data is not avail-
able.
t
