1,3-Butadiene

1Identification

Name

1,3-Butadiene

IUPAC name

buta-1,3-diene

CAS number

106-99-0

EC number

203-450-8

Molecular formula

C4H6

Molecular weight

54.09 g/mol

InChIKey

KAKZBPTYRLMSJV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

SMILES

C=CC=C

PubChem CID

7845

Synonyms

1,3-BUTADIENE, Buta-1,3-diene, Divinyl, Biethylene, Vinylethylene, Bivinyl, Erythrene, Pyrrolylene, Butadieen, Butadien, Buta-1,3-dien, Buta-1,3-dieen, alpha,gamma-Butadiene, Butadiene monomer

Recommended uses

• 1,3-Butadiene is used in the production of rubber and plastics. It is also used in copolymers including acrylics.
  EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants
• Used in the production of synthetic rubber for motor vehicle tires; also used in styrene-butadiene polymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resins, and other compounds; [ACGIH] In a study of Swedish refinery workers, The exposure to 1,3-butadiene among all exposure groups was low (95% of all samples were below 10 ug/m3) in relation to the Swedish OEL, of 1000 ug/m3. [PMID 28578463]
  Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
• See Occupational Safety & Health Standard--29CFR1910.1051
  Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
• Plasticizer Not Known or Reasonably Ascertainable Intermediate Hardener Other Monomers Fuel
  EPA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)
• Monomers Fuel Other Intermediate Hardener Not Known or Reasonably Ascertainable
  EPA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)

Use categories: Chemical Classes -> Volatile organic compounds

Description

• 1,3-Butadiene is a chemical made from the processing of petroleum. It is the 36th highest volume chemical produced in the United States. It is a colorless gas with a mild gasoline-like odor. About 75% of the manufactured 1,3-butadiene is used to make synthetic rubber. Synthetic rubber is widely used for tires on cars and trucks. 1,3-Butadiene is also used to make plastics including acrylics. Small amounts are found in gasoline.
  Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• 1,3-Butadiene can cause cancer according to an independent committee of scientific and health experts. It can cause developmental toxicity, female reproductive toxicity and male reproductive toxicity according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
  California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
• Butadiene is a colorless gas with an aromatic odor. It is shipped as a liquefied gas under its vapor pressure. Contact with the liquid can cause frostbite. It is easily ignited. Its vapors are heavier than air and a flame can flash back to the source of leak very easily. It can asphyxiate by the displacement of air. It must be shipped inhibited as butadiene is liable to polymerization. If polymerization occurs in the container, it may violently rupture. Under prolonged exposure to fire or intense heat the containers may rupture violently and rocket. It is used to make synthetic rubber and plastics, and to make other chemicals.
  CAMEO Chemicals

2Hazard identification

Signal word

Danger

Pictograms

GHS02, GHS04, GHS08

Classification source

Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council

Precautionary statements

Other reported classifications

6 classification records exist across sources. Differences usually reflect purity, physical form or impurities.

NFPA 704 rating

• 2 - Materials that, under emergency conditions, can cause temporary incapacitation or residual injury.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• 4 - Materials that rapidly or completely vaporize at atmospheric pressure and normal ambient temperature or that are readily dispersed in air and burn readily.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• 2 - Materials that readily undergo violent chemical changes at elevated temperatures and pressures.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

Health hazards

• Slight anesthetic effect at high concentrations; causes frostbite from skin contact; slight irritation to eyes and nose at high concentrations. (USCG, 1999)
  CAMEO Chemicals

Fire hazards

• Behavior in Fire: Vapors heavier than air and may travel a considerable distance to a source of ignition and flashback. Containers may explode in a fire due to polymerization. (USCG, 1999)
  CAMEO Chemicals
• Extremely flammable. Gas/air mixtures are explosive.
  ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)

Hazards summary

• 1,3-Butadiene is a chemical made from the processing of petroleum. It is the 36th highest volume chemical produced in the United States. It is a colorless gas with a mild gasoline-like odor. About 75% of the manufactured 1,3-butadiene is used to make synthetic rubber. Synthetic rubber is widely used for tires on cars and trucks. 1,3-Butadiene is also used to make plastics including acrylics. Small amounts are found in gasoline.
  Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• Motor vehicle exhaust is a constant source of 1,3-butadiene. Although 1,3-butadiene breaks down quickly in the atmosphere, it is usually found in ambient air at low levels in urban and suburban areas. Acute (short-term) exposure to 1,3-butadiene by inhalation in humans results in irritation of the eyes, nasal passages, throat, and lungs. Epidemiological studies have reported a possible association between 1,3- butadiene exposure and cardiovascular diseases. Epidemiological studies of workers in rubber plants have shown an association between 1,3-butadiene exposure and increased incidence of leukemia. Animal studies have reported tumors at various sites from 1,3-butadiene exposure.
  EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants

3Composition / information on ingredients

This page describes the pure substance. Commercial products may be solutions or mixtures. Check Section 3 of your supplier's SDS for concentrations and other ingredients.

4First-aid measures

• EYES: First check the victim for contact lenses and remove if present. Flush victim's eyes with water or normal saline solution for 20 to 30 minutes while simultaneously calling a hospital or poison control center. Do not put any ointments, oils, or medication in the victim's eyes without specific instructions from a physician. IMMEDIATELY transport the victim after flushing eyes to a hospital even if no symptoms (such as redness or irritation) develop. SKIN: CAUTION: Exposure of skin to compressed gases may result in freezing of the skin. Treatment for frostbite may be necessary. Remove the victim from the source of contamination.
  CAMEO Chemicals
• (General first aid procedures) Eye: Frostbite - If eye tissue is frozen, seek medical attention immediately; if tissue is not frozen, immediately and thoroughly flush the eyes with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting the lower and upper eyelids. If irritation, pain, swelling, lacrimation, or photophobia persist, get medical attention as soon as possible. Skin: Frostbite - Compressed gases may create low temperatures when they expand rapidly. Leaks and uses that allow rapid expansion may cause a frostbite hazard. Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent the skin from becoming frozen. Breathing: Respiratory support
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Symptoms of exposure

• Cough. Headache. Drowsiness.
  ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
• ON CONTACT WITH LIQUID: FROSTBITE.
  ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
• irritation eyes, nose, throat; drowsiness, dizziness; liquid: frostbite; teratogenic, reproductive effects; [potential occupational carcinogen]
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

5Fire-fighting measures

• If a fire involving 1,3-butadiene becomes uncontrollable or container is exposed to direct flame, evacuate from a radius of 2500 feet.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• If 1,3-butadiene is on fire or involved in fire: Do not extinguish fire unless flow can be stopped; Use water in flooding quantities as fog; Cool all affected containers with flooding quantities of water and apply water from as far a distance as possible.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• Respiratory protection for fire fighting: A self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

Hazardous combustion products

• Carbon oxides
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

6Accidental release measures

Isolation and evacuation

• Excerpt from ERG Guide 116 [Gases - Flammable (Unstable); polymerization hazard]: IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE: Isolate spill or leak area for at least 100 meters (330 feet) in all directions. LARGE SPILL: Consider initial downwind evacuation for at least 800 meters (1/2 mile). FIRE: If tank, rail tank car or highway tank is involved in a fire, ISOLATE for 1600 meters (1 mile) in all directions; also, consider initial evacuation for 1600 meters (1 mile) in all directions. (ERG, 2024)
  CAMEO Chemicals

Spill cleanup

• Remove all ignition sources. Evacuate danger area! Consult an expert! Personal protection: self-contained breathing apparatus. Shut off cylinder if possible. Isolate the area until the gas has dispersed. NEVER direct water jet on liquid.
  ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
• Clean up promptly by sweeping or vacuum.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so. Do not let product enter drains.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• /Accidental release methods/ Use personal protective equipment. Avoid breathing vapours, mist or gas. Ensure adequate ventilation. Remove all sources of ignition. Evacuate personnel to safe areas. Beware of vapours accumulating to form explosive concentrations. Vapors can accumulate in low areas.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

7Handling and storage

• Store only if stabilized. Fireproof. Cool. Keep in a well-ventilated room. Separated from incompatible materials and food and feedstuffs. See Chemical Dangers. See Physical Dangers. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions for proper storage conditions.
  ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
• Outside or detached storage is preferred. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location. Isolate from oxidizing materials.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• Storage temperature: ambient. Venting: safety relief.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• MUST BE KEPT INHIBITED DURING STORAGE ... STORAGE IS USUALLY UNDER PRESSURE OR IN INSULATED TANKS BELOW 35 °F.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

8Exposure controls / personal protection

Personal protective equipment

• Excerpt from NIOSH Pocket Guide for 1,3-Butadiene: Skin: FROSTBITE - Compressed gases may create low temperatures when they expand rapidly. Leaks and uses that allow rapid expansion may cause a frostbite hazard. Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent the skin from becoming frozen. Eyes: FROSTBITE - Wear appropriate eye protection to prevent eye contact with the liquid that could result in burns or tissue damage from frostbite. Wash skin: No recommendation is made specifying the need for washing the substance from the skin (either immediately or at the end of the work shift).
  CAMEO Chemicals
• Respiratory protection for butadiene is as follows: Vapor concentration 5000 ppm or less: A gas mask with a chin-style canister providing protection against butadiene; 8000 ppm or less: Any supplied-air respirator, or any self-contained breathing apparatus; 20,000 ppm or less: A gas mask with a front-or back-mounted canister providing protection against butadiene, or any supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece;
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• PRECAUTIONS FOR "CARCINOGENS": ... Dispensers of liq detergent /should be available./ ... Safety pipettes should be used for all pipetting. ... In animal laboratory, personnel should ... wear protective suits (preferably disposable, one-piece & close-fitting at ankles & wrists), gloves, hair covering & overshoes. ... In chemical laboratory, gloves & gowns should always be worn ... however, gloves should not be assumed to provide full protection. Carefully fitted masks or respirators may be necessary when working with particulates or gases, & disposable plastic aprons might provide addnl protection. ... Gowns ...
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• /Skin protection/ Handle with gloves.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

Respirator recommendations

• (See OSHA respirator requirements for selected chemicals) NIOSH At concentrations above the NIOSH REL, or where there is no REL, at any detectable concentration: (APF = 10,000) Any self-contained breathing apparatus that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode (APF = 10,000) Any supplied-air respirator that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained positive-pressure breathing apparatus Escape: (APF = 50) Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator (gas mask) with a chin-style, front- or back-mounted canister providing protection against the compou…
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

9Physical and chemical properties

10Stability and reactivity

Reactivity

• A colorless gas, it can react with oxidizing reagents. Upon long exposure to air it forms explosive peroxides. They are sensitive to heat or shock; sudden polymerization may occur [Scott, D. A., Chem. Eng. News, 1940, 18, p.404]. Butadiene polyperoxides are insoluble in liquefied butadiene (m. p. -113 °C, b. p. -2.6 °C) and progressively separate leading to local concentration build up. Self-heating from a spontaneous decomposition will lead to explosion [Hendry, D. G. et al., Ind. Eng. Chem., 1968, 7, p. 136, 1145]. Explodes on contact with aluminum tetrahydroborate, potentially explosive reaction with chlorine dioxide (peroxide) and crotonaldehyde (above 180 °C).
  CAMEO Chemicals
• Highly flammable. In contact with air, butadiene may form violently explosive peroxides, which can be exploded by mild heat or shock. Solid butadiene absorbs enough oxygen at sub atmospheric pressures to make it explode violently when heated just above its melting point [Ind. Eng. Chem. 51:733 1959].
  CAMEO Chemicals

Incompatible materials and hazardous reactions

• Solid butadiene at below -113 °C will absorb enough oxygen at subatmospheric pressure to explode violently when allowed to melt.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• An explosion and fire occurred in the pipework of a vessel in which dilute butadiene was stored under an "inert gas" atmosphere generated by combustion of fuel gas in a limited supply of air. The "inert gas" containing up to 1.8% oxygen and traces of nitrogen, reacted over an extended period in the vapor phase to produce concentrations of a gummy material containing up to 64% butadiene peroxide and 4.2% of a butadiene-nitrogen complex. The deposits decomposed explosively.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• When mixed with air, it forms potentially explosive peroxides.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

Chemical stability

• Stable under recommended storage conditions. Test for peroxide formation before using or discard after 3 months.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

11Toxicological information

Target organs

• Cancer, Developmental (effects while organs are developing), Gastrointestinal (Stomach and Intestines, part of the digestive system), Gastrointestinal (Stomach and Intestines, part of the digestive system), Hematological (Blood Forming), Neurological (Nervous System), Reproductive (Producing Children)
  Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• Reproductive
  EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

Short-term exposure effects

• The substance at very high concentrations is irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. Rapid evaporation of the liquid may cause frostbite. Inhalation of high concentrations may cause depression of the central nervous system.
  ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)

Long-term exposure effects

• The substance may have effects on the bone marrow. This substance is carcinogenic to humans. May cause heritable genetic damage to human germ cells.
  ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)

12Ecological information

Not available in the public sources we compile. Check Section 12 of the supplier's SDS.

13Disposal considerations

• SRP: Recycle any unused portion of the material for its approved use or return it to the manufacturer or supplier. Ultimate disposal of the chemical must consider: the material's impact on air quality; potential migration in air, soil or water; effects on animal, aquatic and plant life; and conformance with environmental and public health regulations. If it is possible or reasonable use an alternative chemical product with less inherent propensity for occupational harm/injury/toxicity or environmental contamination.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• Butadiene is a waste chemical stream constituent which may be subjected to ultimate disposal by controlled incineration.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• PRECAUTIONS FOR "CARCINOGENS": There is no universal method of disposal that has been proved satisfactory for all carcinogenic compounds & specific methods of chem destruction ... published have not been tested on all kinds of carcinogen-containing waste. ... summary of avail methods & recommendations ... /given/ must be treated as guide only. /Chemical Carcinogens/
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

14Transport information

UN number: UN 1010

Shipping name

• UN 1010; Butadienes, stabilized or Butadienes and hydrocarbon mixture, stabilized containing more than 40% butadienes.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• IMO 2.1; Butadienes, stabilized or Butadienes and hydrocarbon mixture, stabilized containing more than 40% butadienes.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

DOT label

• Flammable Gas
  CAMEO Chemicals

UN classification

• UN Hazard Class: 2.1
  ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)

Emergency Response Guidebook

• 1010 116P(inhibited)
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

How DOT hazard classes work →

15Regulatory information

• This action promulgates standards of performance for equipment leaks of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI). The intended effect of these standards is to require all newly constructed, modified, and reconstructed SOCMI process units to use the best demonstrated system of continuous emission reduction for equipment leaks of VOC, considering costs, non air quality health and environmental impact and energy requirements. Butadiene is produced, as an intermediate or a final product, by process units covered under this subpart.
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
• Persons in charge of vessels or facilities are required to notify the National Response Center (NRC) immediately, when there is a release of this designated hazardous substance, in an amount equal to or greater than its reportable quantity of 10 lb or 4.54 kg. The toll free number of the NRC is (800) 424-8802. The rule for determining when notification is required is stated in 40 CFR 302.4 (section IV. D.3.b).
  Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

Overview of SDS regulations (OSHA HazCom, WHMIS, REACH/CLP) →

16Other information

Compiled from PubChem CID 7845 and the sources it aggregates (attributed inline). Data retrieved 2026-10-12. This summary describes the pure substance and is not a supplier SDS.