Propylene oxide

A methyl-substituted epoxide with two nonequivalent ring carbons.

Formula
C3H6O
Functional group
Epoxides; Ethers
Molar mass
58.08 g/mol
Also known as
1,2-Epoxypropane, Methyloxirane, 2-methyloxirane, 环氧丙烷, 1,2-环氧丙烷

Overview

A methyl-substituted epoxide with two nonequivalent ring carbons.

The methyl group makes the two ring carbons differently substituted. Ring-opening regiochemistry depends on the nucleophile and whether conditions are acidic or basic. One ring carbon is stereogenic; this record leaves its configuration unspecified rather than representing a single enantiomer.

Identifiers

Formula
C3H6O
Functional group
Epoxides; Ethers
Molar mass
58.08 g/mol
Also known as
1,2-Epoxypropane, Methyloxirane, 2-methyloxirane, 环氧丙烷, 1,2-环氧丙烷
Chemical identifiers
SMILES
CC1CO1
InChI
InChI=1S/C3H6O/c1-3-2-4-3/h3H,2H2,1H3
PubChem CID
6378

Related compounds

  • Epoxides

    A methyl-substituted epoxide with two nonequivalent ring carbons.

  • Ethers

    A methyl-substituted epoxide with two nonequivalent ring carbons.

References

  1. PubChem Compound Summary: Propylene oxide (CID 6378)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem

    Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and selected English aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-16. Chinese search names are curated nomenclature translations. Unspecified stereochemistry remains unspecified.

  2. Organic Chemistry: Reactions of Epoxides: Ring-OpeningJohn McMurry · OpenStax Organic Chemistry · 2023

    Supports functional-group chemistry used to curate the linked examples. Checked 2026-09-16; named examples are applications of textbook scope, without claimed experimental yields.