It is primarily produced by combining water and propene in a hydration reaction or by hydrogenating acetone. In 1994, 1.5 million tonnes of isopropyl alcohol were produced in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Isopropyl alcohol was oxidized to acetone for the preparation of cordite, a smokeless, low explosive propellant. Standard Oil produced isopropyl alcohol by hydrating propene. He achieved this by heating a mixture of propene and sulfuric acid. Isopropyl alcohol was first synthesized by the chemist Alexander William Williamson in 1853. The reaction with aluminium is initiated by a trace of mercury to give aluminium isopropoxide. This and similar reactions are often conducted in the presence of base. With titanium tetrachloride, isopropyl alcohol reacts to give titanium isopropoxide: Like most alcohols, isopropyl alcohol reacts with active metals such as potassium to form alkoxides that are called isopropoxides. Isopropyl alcohol may be converted to 2-bromopropane using phosphorus tribromide, or dehydrated to propene by heating with sulfuric acid. Isopropyl alcohol is often used as both solvent and hydride source in the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction and other transfer hydrogenation reactions. This can be achieved using oxidizing agents such as chromic acid, or by dehydrogenation of isopropyl alcohol over a heated copper catalyst: Isopropyl alcohol can be oxidized to acetone, which is the corresponding ketone. Isopropyl alcohol has a maximal absorbance at 205 nm in an ultraviolet- visible spectrum. Isopropyl alcohol becomes increasingly viscous with decreasing temperature and freezes at −89.5 ☌ (−129.1 ☏). It has a slightly bitter taste, and is not safe to drink. Isopropyl alcohol forms an azeotrope with water, which gives a boiling point of 80.37 ☌ (176.67 ☏) and a composition of 87.7% by mass (91% by volume) isopropyl alcohol. The process is colloquially called salting out, and causes concentrated isopropyl alcohol to separate into a distinct layer.

Unlike ethanol or methanol, isopropyl alcohol is not miscible with salt solutions and can be separated from aqueous solutions by adding a salt such as sodium chloride. It dissolves ethyl cellulose, polyvinyl butyral, many oils, alkaloids, and natural resins. Isopropyl alcohol is miscible in water, ethanol, and chloroform, as it is an organic polar molecule. Its ingestion or absorption leads to toxic effects including central nervous system depression and coma, primarily treated through supportive measures. Despite its utility, isopropyl alcohol poses safety risks due to its flammability and potential for peroxide formation. More than a million tonnes are produced worldwide annually. It is a common ingredient in products such as antiseptics, disinfectants and detergents. Beyond its production, isopropyl alcohol serves in medical settings as a rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer, and in industrial and household applications as a solvent. It is produced through hydration of propene or hydrogenation of acetone, with modern processes achieving anhydrous alcohol through azeotropic distillation. It was first synthesized in 1853 by Alexander William Williamson and later produced for cordite preparation. It is a structural isomer of propan-1-ol and ethyl methyl ether. As an isopropyl group linked to a hydroxyl group ( chemical formula (CH 3) 2CHOH) it is the simplest example of a secondary alcohol, where the alcohol carbon atom is attached to two other carbon atoms. Chemically, it can be oxidized to acetone or undergo various reactions to form compounds like isopropoxides or aluminium isopropoxide. Isopropyl alcohol becomes viscous at lower temperatures, freezing at −89.5 ☌, and has significant ultraviolet-visible absorbance at 205 nm. It forms an azeotrope with water, resulting in a boiling point of 80.37 ☌ and is characterized by its slightly bitter taste. Notably, it is not miscible with salt solutions and can be separated by adding sodium chloride in a process known as salting out.

Isopropyl alcohol, an organic polar molecule, is miscible in water, ethanol, and chloroform, demonstrating its ability to dissolve a wide range of substances including ethyl cellulose, polyvinyl butyral, oils, alkaloids, and natural resins. Isopropyl alcohol ( IUPAC name propan-2-ol and also called isopropanol or 2-propanol) is a colorless, flammable organic compound with a pungent alcoholic odor.

Somewhat safe synonym