The molecular formula of ethylene is C2H4, and the structural formula is CH2=CH2, which is colorless and slightly sweet. Boiling point-103.7 1℃, which can be liquefied under pressure and low temperature. Insoluble in water, ethanol and ether. There is a small amount of ethylene in plants, which is a plant growth hormone and can promote defoliation and fruit ripening.
Extended data:
Ethylene is active in chemistry, easy to burn in air, and can make potassium permanganate solution fade, so it is easy to have addition and polyaddition reactions.
Ethylene is mainly produced by petroleum cracking in industry, and can be obtained by ethanol dehydration in the laboratory:
Ethylene is the most abundant and widely used basic organic chemical raw material, which can be used to prepare vinyl chloride, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol, ethylene glycol, ethylene oxide, ethylbenzene and so on. It is the basic raw material of many plastics, fibers and rubber.
The physiological functions of ethylene are: triple response, promoting fruit ripening, promoting leaf senescence, inducing adventitious roots and root hairs, breaking the dormancy of plant seeds and buds, inhibiting the flowering of many plants (but inducing and promoting the flowering of pineapple and related plants), and changing the direction of gender differentiation of flowers in the early stage of flower development of dioecious plants.