What is Isobutyraldehyde
Analysts Sentiment
Bullish
30.2%
Neutral
20.7%
Bearish
49.1%
What's driving sentiment this week:
Past Week (2026-06-01 to 2026-06-07) — Sentiment: Bearish
Supply adjustments from Sinopec’s new 4M1P technology and Celanese’s capacity shifts in Asia reduce isobutyraldehyde output and tighten global availability as of June 5.
US manufacturing PMI expansion on June 1 supports chemical demand but is offset by stagnation in China’s new orders and weaker downstream requirements for isobutyraldehyde derivatives as of June 3.
New environmental regulations in Indiana imposing discharge limits add compliance costs and further pressure production economics as of June 5.
This Week (2026-06-08 to 2026-06-14) — Outlook: Neutral
Market stability will hold amid offsetting supply constraints and demand uncertainties, resulting in sideways isobutyraldehyde pricing through mid-June.
The June 9 EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook provides a routine update unlikely to shift feedstock costs dramatically.
A tightening of energy costs or freight in the June 10 IEA Oil Market Report could increase downstream chemical input prices and shift the outlook bearish.
Key Market Impact
Supply-side tightening from Asian production shifts dominates near-term margin pressure on isobutyraldehyde despite pockets of US demand strength.
Buyers and producers are cautious, holding inventories but delaying expansion amid regulatory and capacity uncertainties.
How About the Price?
Price Trajectory 2020–2026 (Brief Recap)
Phase 1 — Steady Growth (2020): Prices rose gradually from $120.5/ton in January 2020 to $145.2/ton in January 2021 with no reported major disruptions or influences.
Phase 2 — Winter Storm Impact (2021): In early 2021, US Gulf Coast winter storm Uri caused a near-60% temporary shutdown at major refining and olefin units including LyondellBasell’s Channelview complex, reducing isobutyraldehyde output and creating feedstock shortages, as prices climbed from $145.2/ton in January 2021 to $164.9/ton by December 2021.
Phase 3 — Moderate Rise with Supply Tightening (2022): After another force majeure from winter storm Landon in February 2022, propylene feedstock prices spiked 25-30 cents/lb tightening supply and increasing production costs, supporting a price increase from $166.7/ton in January 2022 to $186.5/ton by December 2022.
Phase 4 — Further Supply Constraints from Storm Mara (2023): February 2023’s US winter storm Mara again caused a 25-30 cents/lb propylene spike restricting feedstock availability, pushing prices up from $188.3/ton in January 2023 to $208.1/ton in December 2023.
Phase 5 — Highest Price Peak Amid Winter Storm Heather (2024): Early 2024 saw a sharp 42% spike in propylene prices due to storm Heather disrupting supply, which coincided with isobutyraldehyde prices reaching $218.9/ton in June 2024 and continuing upward.
Phase 6 — Projected Continued Gradual Increase (mid 2024–2026): Prices are forecasted to steadily rise following the established trend to $262.1/ton by June 8, 2026, with no additional influence events recorded in the data.
Supply-side factors
- US Gulf Coast winter storm Uri (Feb 2021): near-60% shutdown reducing isobutyraldehyde output and feedstock availability.
- US Gulf Coast winter storm Landon (Feb 2022): caused 25-30 cents/lb spike in propylene prices tightening feedstock supply.
- US Gulf Coast winter storm Mara (Feb 2023): induced short-term 25-30 cents/lb propylene price spike.
- US Gulf Coast winter storm Heather (Jan-Feb 2024): led to sharp 42% spike in propylene prices increasing feedstock costs.
Demand-side factors
- No explicit demand-side factors recorded in the influence log during 2020–2026 period.
Substitutes & Alternatives
| Substitute | Replacement Scenario / How It Substitutes |
|---|---|
| n-Butyraldehyde (n-Butanal) | In applications where a C4 aldehyde intermediate is required and branching is not critical — such as certain resin or plasticizer precursor syntheses — n-butyraldehyde can serve as a functional substitute. It is produced on the same oxo-synthesis unit and can partially replace isobutyraldehyde in aldol condensation reactions, though the resulting downstream products (e.g. 2-ethylhexanol vs. neopentyl glycol) differ structurally, so reformulation of the downstream process is required. |
| Isobutanol | Isobutanol can substitute for isobutyraldehyde as a C4 branched-chain building block in certain solvent applications and as a precursor to isobutyric acid (via oxidation). In fermentation-derived chemical pathways, bio-based isobutanol is increasingly considered as an alternative feedstock that can be dehydrogenated to isobutyraldehyde or used directly in place of it for specific ester and solvent syntheses. |
| Isobutyric Acid | In applications where isobutyraldehyde is used as an intermediate en route to isobutyric acid (e.g. for methacrylate production or flavor/fragrance esters), isobutyric acid itself can be used as a direct drop-in feedstock, bypassing the aldehyde oxidation step. This substitution is straightforward when isobutyric acid is commercially available at competitive cost. |
| Pivaldehyde (Trimethylacetaldehyde) | In the synthesis of neopentyl glycol and certain pharmaceutical intermediates, pivaldehyde (a C5 branched aldehyde) can serve as a structural analog substitute in some condensation reactions. The substitution is not a drop-in and requires process reformulation, but it is used when a more sterically hindered aldehyde intermediate is desired. |
| Acetaldehyde / Propionaldehyde | For lower-molecular-weight aldehyde applications in resin manufacture (e.g. urea-aldehyde or phenol-aldehyde resins) where the specific branched C4 structure is not essential, acetaldehyde or propionaldehyde can partially substitute isobutyraldehyde. This substitution changes the resin properties (flexibility, chain length) and requires reformulation, making it a partial or application-specific replacement rather than a universal one. |
| Methacrolein | In the production of methacrylic acid and methacrylate esters, methacrolein (2-methylpropenal) can serve as an alternative C4 unsaturated aldehyde intermediate, substituting for the isobutyraldehyde-to-methacrolein oxidation pathway. Some producers use isobutylene or tert-butanol oxidation to methacrolein directly, effectively bypassing isobutyraldehyde in the value chain. |
Regulatory Status
| Region | Regulation / Policy Name | Issuing Authority | Year (enacted or latest revision) | Key Requirement / Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU | REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 | ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) | 2007 | Registration of substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 1 tonne or more per year per manufacturer or importer; non-confidential dossier parts published; Isobutyraldehyde (CAS 78-84-2, EINECS 201-149-6) registered with data on toxicity, ecotoxicity, and environmental fate (not PBT or vPvB); no authorisation or restriction applies | ECHA REACH dossier (2011) and supporting assessments |
| US | TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory | US EPA (Toxic Substances Control Act) | 1976 (inventory updated 2024) | Substance listed and active on TSCA Inventory (CAS 78-84-2); no PMN, SNUR, or risk evaluation required for existing substances meeting minimum requirements; no specific exposure limits or restrictions | US EPA TSCA Inventory and Substance Registry Services |
| International | Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS Rev. 10) | UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) | 2023 (GHS Rev. 10) | Classified as Acute toxicity Category 4 (H302: Harmful if swallowed), Eye irritation Category 2 (H319), Aquatic Acute Hazard Category 3; transported as UN 2045 (Isobutyraldehyde), Class 3, Packing Group II | ECHA C&L Inventory and SDS data (CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008) |
| China | No specific regulation identified for isobutyraldehyde or downstream NPG/oxo-alcohols | MEE (Ministry of Ecology and Environment) | N/A | No targeted VOC emission standards, thresholds, or control requirements specific to isobutyraldehyde or aldehyde production lines identified in MEE air pollutant standards or GB/VOC regulations | MEE standards and industry reports (no specific GB or measure located) |
| US | OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) and GHS-US alignment | US OSHA | 2012 (HCS revision) | Flammable liquid (Class 2); no OSHA PEL established; Eye irritation Category 2; handled under GHS-US with standard label and SDS requirements; no specific numerical exposure limit | US OSHA Hazard Communication Standard |
| India | Anti-Dumping Duty on Oxo Alcohols (including isobutanol/IBA forms) | Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) | 2004 (revised sunset review 2024) | Anti-dumping duties imposed on imports of oxo-alcohols from multiple countries (subject to reference price mechanism); duties under review with no current injury or recurrence indicated; applies to downstream products indirectly affecting isobutyraldehyde trade flows | DGTR Final Findings (sunset review) |
Key Influence Events
Isobutyraldehyde (also known as isobutanal or 2-methylpropanal) is a branched-chain aliphatic aldehyde with the molecular formula C4H8O and CAS number 78-84-2. It is a colorless, flammable liquid with a pungent, suffocating odor, boiling at approximately 64°C at atmospheric pressure. Isobutyraldehyde is an important industrial intermediate primarily produced as a co-product alongside n-butyraldehyde via the oxo synthesis (hydroformylation) of propylene. It serves as a key building block in the manufacture of isobutyric acid, neopentyl glycol, isobutanol, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) precursors, rubber antioxidants, and various specialty chemicals.
Top Countries Production Capacity
Production Process of Isobutyraldehyde
Isobutyraldehyde (also known as isobutanal or 2-methylpropanal) is a branched-chain aliphatic aldehyde with the molecular formula C4H8O and CAS number 78-84-2. It is a colorless, flammable liquid with a pungent, suffocating odor, boiling at approximately 64°C at atmospheric pressure. Isobutyraldehyde is an important industrial intermediate primarily produced as a co-product alongside n-butyraldehyde via the oxo synthesis (hydroformylation) of propylene. It serves as a key building block in the manufacture of isobutyric acid, neopentyl glycol, isobutanol, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) precursors, rubber antioxidants, and various specialty chemicals.
Specs & Grades
| Property | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Grade / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity (Isobutyraldehyde content) | ≥ 99.0 | wt% | Technical / Industrial Grade |
| Purity (Isobutyraldehyde content) | ≥ 99.5 | wt% | High-Purity Grade |
| Water content | ≤ 0.10 | wt% | Technical Grade |
| Water content | ≤ 0.05 | wt% | High-Purity Grade |
| Acidity (as isobutyric acid) | ≤ 0.05 | wt% | Technical Grade |
| Acidity (as isobutyric acid) | ≤ 0.02 | wt% | High-Purity Grade |
| Color (APHA / Hazen) | ≤ 10 | Hazen units | Both grades |
| Boiling point | 63–65 | °C at 1 atm | — |
| Density at 20°C | 0.789–0.794 | g/cm³ | — |
| Flash point (closed cup) | -18 | °C | — |
| Refractive index (n20/D) | 1.372–1.375 | — | — |
| n-Butyraldehyde content | ≤ 0.5 | wt% | Technical Grade |
| n-Butyraldehyde content | ≤ 0.2 | wt% | High-Purity Grade |
| Inhibitor (e.g. hydroquinone) | 10–50 | ppm | Stabilized commercial product |
Who are the Top Players?
| Company | Headquarters | Key Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| BASF | Ludwigshafen, Germany | Pasadena TX |
| Eastman Chemical Company | Kingsport, Tennessee, USA | Longview TX |
| ExxonMobil Chemical Company | Spring, Texas, USA | Baton Rouge LA |
| Dow Chemical Company | Midland, Michigan, USA | Freeport TX, Taft LA |
| Perstorp | Malmö, Sweden | Amsterdam NL, Bruchhausen DE, Castellanza IT, Perstorp SE, Sayakha IN |
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