isoprene

American  

[ahy-suh-preen] / ˈaɪ səˌprin /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, volatile, water-insoluble liquid, C 5 H 8 , of the terpene class, usually obtained from rubber or from oil of turpentine by pyrolysis: used chiefly in the manufacture of synthetic rubber by polymerization.

---

isoprene British  

/ ˈaɪsəʊˌpriːn /

noun

1. Systematic name: methylbuta-1,3-diene.  a colourless volatile liquid with a penetrating odour: used in making synthetic rubbers. Formula: CH 2 :CHC(CH 3 ):CH 2

---

isoprene Scientific  

/ ī′sə-prēn′ /

1. A colorless, volatile liquid obtained from petroleum or coal tar and occurring naturally in many plants. It is used chiefly to make synthetic rubber. The isoprene in plants occurs in the chloroplasts and is used to build terpenes and other biologically important chemicals. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₈ .

---

Etymology

Origin of isoprene

1855–60; iso- + -pr- (< ?) + -ene; see terpene

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

isoprene

The analysis identified styrene and butadiene from standard PMA, polyethylene from recycled plastic and fishing net pavements, and isoprene and butadiene rubber from vehicle tires.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 28, 2026

As soon as the sun rises, hydroxyl radicals form, which react with the isoprene.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2024

"There are still considerable amounts of isoprene in the rainforest at night, and a substantial proportion of these molecules can be transported to higher atmospheric layers."

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2024

The primary and most abundant molecule is isoprene.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2024

We can get isoprene by the distillation of turpentine—but why not bleed a rubber tree as well as a pine tree?

From Creative Chemistry Descriptive of Recent Achievements in the Chemical Industries by Edwin E. Slosson