Chloroethene
Vinyl chloride is the alkene monomer used to make PVC for pipes and cable coverings.
- Formula
- C2H3Cl
- Functional group
- C=C with a chlorine substituent
- Molar mass
- 62.5 g/mol
- Also known as
- vinyl chloride, VCM
Overview
Vinyl chloride
Vinyl chloride is the alkene monomer used to make PVC for pipes and cable coverings.
The C=C bond is consumed in addition polymerisation; chlorine remains attached to the carbon backbone. This is not chloroethane, a saturated haloalkane. Industrial handling of the monomer requires specialist controls.
Identifiers
- Formula
- C2H3Cl
- Functional group
- C=C with a chlorine substituent
- Molar mass
- 62.5 g/mol
- Also known as
- vinyl chloride, VCM
Chemical identifiers
- SMILES
- C=CCl
- InChI
- InChI=1S/C2H3Cl/c1-2-3/h2H,1H2
- PubChem CID
- 6338
Properties
- Melting Point
- -153.84 °C
- Boiling Point
- -13.8 °C
- Density
- 0.9106 g/cu cm at 20 °C
- Water solubility
- In water, 8.8X10+3 mg/L at 25 °C
Related compounds
- Alkenes
Vinyl chloride is the alkene monomer used to make PVC for pipes and cable coverings.
References
- PVC: monomer production, polymerisation and usesChemical Industry Education Centre, University of York
- PubChem: ChloroetheneNational Center for Biotechnology Information
Identity retrieved 2026-09-08; matched against the record's isomeric structure. Unspecified stereochemistry remains unspecified.
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Chloroethene — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6338#section=Melting-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 95th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2014-2015, p. 3-106
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Chloroethene — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6338#section=Boiling-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 95th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2014-2015, p. 3-106
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Chloroethene — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6338#section=Density. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 95th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2014-2015, p. 3-106
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Chloroethene — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6338#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Delassus PT, Schmidt DD; J Chem Eng Data 26: 274-6 (1981)