Ethylene glycol

A two-carbon diol that supplies the alcohol groups used to make PET.

Formula
C2H6O2
Functional group
Two hydroxyl groups
Molar mass
62.07 g/mol
Also known as
ethane-1,2-diol, ethylene glycol, EG

Overview

Ethane-1,2-diol

A two-carbon diol that supplies the alcohol groups used to make PET.

Both hydroxyl groups can participate in polyester formation. PET production requires a second feedstock, such as terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate; ethylene glycol alone does not make PET. An industrial origin is ethene oxidation to ethylene oxide followed by ring opening with water; the selected trace distinguishes those stages from direct ethene-to-ethanol hydration.

Identifiers

Formula
C2H6O2
Functional group
Two hydroxyl groups
Molar mass
62.07 g/mol
Also known as
ethane-1,2-diol, ethylene glycol, EG
Chemical identifiers
SMILES
OCCO
InChI
InChI=1S/C2H6O2/c3-1-2-4/h3-4H,1-2H2
PubChem CID
174

Properties

Melting Point
-12.69 °C
Boiling Point
197.3 °C
Density
1.1135 g/cu cm AT 20 °C
Water solubility
Miscible with water

Related compounds

  • Diols

    A two-carbon diol that supplies the alcohol groups used to make PET.

References

  1. Polyesters: manufacture and usesChemical Industry Education Centre, University of York
  2. Ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol process technologyShell
  3. PubChem: Ethylene glycolNational Center for Biotechnology Information

    Identity retrieved 2026-09-08; matched against the record's isomeric structure. Unspecified stereochemistry remains unspecified.

  4. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Ethylene glycol — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/174#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. 91st ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press Inc., 2010-2011, p. 3-232

  5. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Ethylene glycol — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/174#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. 91st ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press Inc., 2010-2011, p. 3-232

  6. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Ethylene glycol — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/174#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. 91st ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press Inc., 2010-2011, p. 3-232

  7. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Ethylene glycol — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/174#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Riddick, J.A., W.B. Bunger, Sakano T.K. Techniques of Chemistry 4th ed., Volume II. Organic Solvents. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons., 1985., p. 264