Butanol is a four carbon straight chained alcohol, colorless and flammable. Butanol can be mixed with ethanol, ether and other organic solvent. Butanol can be used as a solvent, in cosmetics, hydraulic fluids, detergent formulations, drugs, antibiotics, hormones and vita­mins, as a chemical intermediate in the production of butyl acrylate and methacrylate, and additionally as an extract agent in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Butanol has a 4-car­bon structure and the carbon atoms can form either a straight-chain or a branched structure, resulting in different properties. There exist different isomers, based on the location of the — OH and carbon chain structure. The different structures, properties and main applications are shown as Table 1.

Although the properties of butanol isomers are different in octane number, boiling point, viscosity, etc., the main applications are similar in some aspects, such as being used as sol­vents, industrial cleaners, or gasoline additives. All these butanol isomers can be produced from fossil fuels by different methods, only n-butanol, a straight-chain molecule structure can be produced from biomass.

Plasticizers — improve a for butanone, etc. paint

plastic material processes Industrial cleaners -paint Gasoline

Chemical intermediate — for removers

butyl esters or butyl ethers, Perfumes or in artificial

etc. flavors

Cosmetics- including eye

makeup, lipsticks, etc.

Gasoline additive

Table 1. Structures, properties and main applications of n-butanol, 2-Butanol, iso-Butanol and tert-Butanol