Petrochemical

A petrochemical is any chemical derived from fossil fuels. These include purified fossil fuels such as methane, propane, butane, gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, or fuel oil, and also include many agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, and other items such as plastics, asphalt and synthetic fibers. Also a wide variety of industrial chemicals are petrochemicals.

The following is a partial list of the major commercial petrochemicals and their derivatives:
* ethylene
** polyethylenes
** ethylene oxide
*** ethylene glycols
**** polyesters
**** engine coolant
*** glycol ethers
*** ethoxylates
** vinyl acetate
** 1,2-dichloroethane
*** trichloroethylene
*** tetrachloroethylene
*** vinyl chloride
**** polyvinyl chloride
** ethylbenzene
*** styrene
**** polystyrenes
**** synthetic rubbers
** higher olefins
*** detergent alcohols
* propylene
** cumene
*** acetone
*** bisphenol A
**** epoxy resins
**** polycarbonate
*** solvents
** isopropyl alcohol
** acrylonitrile
** polypropylene
** propylene oxide
*** propylene glycol
*** glycol ethers
** acrylic acid
*** acrylic polymers
** allyl chloride
*** epichlorohydrin
**** epoxy resins
* butadiene
** synthetic rubbers
* benzene
** ethylbenzene
*** styrene
**** polystyrenes
**** synthetic rubbers
** cumene
*** acetone
*** bisphenol A
**** epoxy resins
**** polycarbonate
** cyclohexane
*** adipic acid
**** nylons
*** caprolactam
**** nylons
** nitrobenzene
*** aniline
**** methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)
***** polyurethanes
** alkylbenzene
*** detergents
** chlorobenzene
* toluene
** benzene
** toluene diisocyanate (TDI)
*** polyurethanes
** benzoic acid
*** caprolactam
**** nylon
* mixed xylenes
** ortho-xylene
*** phthalic anhydride
** para-xylene
*** dimethyl terephthalate
**** polyesters
*** purified terephthalic acid
**** polyesters

See also

*Petroleum
*Petroleum products
*Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries