The 2026 butanol markets are moving differently depending on the isomer. For procurement teams, product naming and CAS-level benchmarking are commercial issues, not just technical details.

What Happened?

Direct Chinese Secondary Butanol data put domestic 2-butanol around RMB 11,000–11,700/MT in late June and early July, while China n-butanol references were closer to roughly RMB 6,400–7,600/MT during late June.

Search results, market reports, supplier discussions, and internal spreadsheets can loosely refer to “butanol,” even though n-butanol, isobutanol, tert-butanol, and sec-butanol do not share the same market.

Why This Matters for Secondary Butanol

Benchmarking Secondary Butanol against n-butanol can distort market direction, feedstock economics, available supply, supplier competitiveness, contract escalation clauses, and price negotiations. For SBA purchases, the benchmark should explicitly identify Secondary Butanol / sec-Butanol / 2-Butanol and CAS 78-92-2.

What Buyers Should Watch

1   CAS number in every benchmark. Use CAS 78-92-2 to make sure the market reference is actually Secondary Butanol.

2   Isomer-specific market reports. Do not assume n-butanol economics or price direction represent sec-butanol.

3   Internal naming consistency. Purchase orders, supplier files, contracts, and market spreadsheets should use consistent product names and CAS identifiers.

4   Contract escalation language. If an index is used in pricing formulas, confirm that it tracks the correct chemical and market.

GreenChem Takeaway

A low-looking benchmark can be misleading if it belongs to a different butanol isomer. Procurement teams should make product identity explicit before using market data in sourcing, negotiation, or contracting.

Planning your next purchase?

Before making a commitment, compare grade, origin, lead times, logistics, and total landed costs. Engage with GreenChem through the inquiry path to discuss your specific supply requirements.