moleculefinder

Propane

C3H844.1 g/mol Calculated

Also called dimethyl methane and propyl hydride.

The gas in a barbecue bottle and a camping stove. It liquefies under modest pressure, which is what lets a small cylinder hold so much fuel.

Sources and notes
  • The introductionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
  • Other namesfrom sourceWikidataIts English label and aliases on Wikidata.
  • Formula and weightcomputedPubChem
  • 2D drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKit
  • 3D modelfrom sourcePubChem 3D conformerLoaded after the page has painted, and on a phone only when you ask for it; the 2D drawing shows until it arrives.

Where you encounter it

Propane on our curated lists, and on the product labels we hold.

Medicines

Women's Rogaine FoamAdded by the makerInactive ingredient

Personal care

DegreeAdded by the makerInactive ingredient
Dove Advanced CareAdded by the makerInactive ingredient

Household

Fuel and flameNaturally present
Aerosol cansAdded by the maker

Every product and list we hold

Sources and notes
  • Our curated lists and their amountsfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedEach amount is an editorial figure from our food and drink lists, not a measurement of any one product.
  • The product labels and their strengthsfrom sourceDailyMed (FDA label)Each label lists the molecule as an ingredient, and an active ingredient at the strength shown.
  • How it gets therefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedEach mark is set by hand on our lists, never inferred; a label's ingredient is added by the maker. A row with no mark data says Not marked.

Compare a related molecule

Butane

Propane

One carbon longer.

Butane, C4H10, has one more carbon than propane, C3H8, and boils near freezing, so propane stays a usable gas in cold weather and butane does not.

Butane vs Propane, side by side

Also compared

Sources and notes
  • The sentencefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
  • The two drawingscomputedPubChem structures, drawn by RDKitDrawn the same way round; the amber marks where the two differ.
  • The captionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated

Properties and sources

Calculated by PubChem

Molecular formula
C3H8
Molecular weight
44.1 g/mol
XLogP3octanol/water, log units
1.8
Polar surface areatopological
0 Ų
H-bond donors
0
H-bond acceptors
0
Rotatable bonds
0
Complexity
0

Reported Hazard label (GHS), ECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia via PubChem

Danger Flammable pictogram (GHS02) and Compressed gas pictogram (GHS04); hazard statements H220, H280

Groups it belongs to

Category
Everyday chemistry
Family
Alkanes
Product lists
Fuel and flame, Aerosol cans
Hazard classes
Flammable, Compressed gas, GHS Danger
Size
Under 100 g/mol
SMILESCCC

PubChem CID 6334 · Wikidata Q131189 · InChIKey ATUOYWHBWRKTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N · Data refreshed

How MoleculeFinder sources and labels its data

Questions
What is Propane?
The gas in a barbecue bottle and a camping stove. It liquefies under modest pressure, which is what lets a small cylinder hold so much fuel.
Where is Propane found?
Propane is in these product groups: fuel and flame and aerosol cans. from source
How toxic is Propane?
Its GHS hazard label carries the signal word Danger and the hazard pictograms Flammable and Compressed gas. from source
What kind of molecule is Propane?
Propane has the formula C3H8 and a molecular weight of 44.1 g/mol. MoleculeFinder files it under alkanes, in the everyday chemistry group. from sourcefrom sourcefrom sourcefrom source
What else is Propane called?
Propane is also called dimethyl methane and propyl hydride. from source
Sources and notes
  • Calculated valuescomputedPubChemComputed from the structure, so no laboratory conditions apply; complexity is PubChem's own structural score.
  • Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia via PubChemThe label combines these classifications.
  • ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
  • EU CLP Regulationfrom sourceAttributionSource: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, © European Union.
  • Safe Work Australiafrom sourceAttributionSource: Safe Work Australia, Hazardous Chemical Information System, © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0.
  • Data refreshedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder2026-11-09

Keep exploring

One carbon longer.ButaneC4H10Compared side by side with propaneMethaneCH4Also an alkaneHexaneC6H14A close match in shapeEthanolC2H6O
More related molecules
Sources and notes
  • A group apartfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison captions
  • Compared side by sidefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesA molecule we compare it with on its own page.
  • The same kind of moleculefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated groupsA structural neighbour in the same family or type group; the line names the group in its own words.
  • Similar in shapecomputedRDKit Morgan/TanimotoNeighbours by structural fingerprint; the sentence names the chemical groups the two share.
  • The drawingscomputedPubChem structures, drawn by RDKit