Raven: Series 1-3   | Section8 = }}  1,3-Butadiene is a simple
conjugated diene. It is an important industrial chemical used as
a monomer in the production of synthetic rubber. When the word
butadiene is used, most of the time it refers to 1,3-butadiene.
The name butadiene can also refer to the isomer, 1,2-butadiene,
which is a cumulated diene. However, this allene is difficult to
prepare and has no industrial significance.   In 1863, a French
chemist isolated a previously unknown hydrocarbon from the
pyrolysis of amyl alcohol. This hydrocarbon was identified as
butadiene in 1886, after Henry Edward Armstrong isolated it from
among the pyrolysis products of petroleum. In 1910, the Russian
chemist Sergei Lebedev polymerized butadiene, and obtained a
material with rubber-like properties. This polymer was, however,
too soft to replace natural rubber in many roles, especially
automobile tires.  The butadiene industry originated in the
years leading up to World War II. Many of the belligerent
nations realized tha