The market demand for ibuprofen is growing, and the development space of the isobutylbenzene industry continues to expand.

Isobutylbenzene, also known as isobutylbenzene and 2-methylpropylbenzene, has a chemical formula of C10H14 and is an organic compound. Isobutylbenzene appears as a colorless and transparent liquid, soluble in ether and ethanol, but insoluble in water. Isobutylbenzene has the characteristics of good oxidation resistance, high melting point, and low toxicity. It is widely used in medicine, surfactants, coatings, plasticizers and other fields.

Isobutylbenzene uses propylene and toluene as the main raw materials, and is made into finished products through side chain alkylation under the action of alkali metal catalysts. In terms of raw materials, as bulk petrochemical products, my country has sufficient supplies of propylene and toluene. In terms of production, Chinese companies have the production capacity of isobutylbenzene, but the production cost and scale are far behind those of overseas countries, resulting in products that are highly dependent on imports. India is my country’s main importer of isobutylbenzene. In recent years, affected by factors such as international relations and the epidemic, my country’s imports of isobutylbenzene have declined, and the market has been in short supply.

The pharmaceutical field is the largest demand end for isobutylbenzene. Isobutylbenzene can be used to produce isobutyl acetophenone, an intermediate of the analgesic and antipyretic drug ibuprofen. As the COVID-19 prevention and control policies are fully relaxed, the market demand for ibuprofen, a common antipyretic drug at home, has increased. In 2022, my country’s ibuprofen sales will reach 1.53 billion yuan, setting a record high. Driven by market demand, the development space of the isobutylbenzene industry will further expand.

India is the world’s largest producer of isobutylbenzene. India’s IOL Company and India’s Vinati Company are the world’s leading companies in isobutylbenzene. The above two companies account for nearly 70% of the global market. The main manufacturers of isobutylbenzene in my country include Huainan Kedi Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., Jilin Jihua North Jinjiang Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Shandong Xinhua Wanbo Chemical Co., Ltd., etc. For a long time, my country’s isobutylbenzene market has been dominated by overseas companies, and local companies have a low market share.

According to the “2023-2028 China Isobutylbenzene Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center , in recent years, the global procurement demand for isobutylbenzene has been strong, and the purchasers are mainly chemical companies and pharmaceutical companies, including Shandong Xinhua Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hubei Hengdi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zibo Xinhua-Perrigo Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Company, BASF AG of Germany, etc. In 2021, my country’s isobutylbenzene purchase volume reached 9813.2 tons, and Xinhua Pharmaceutical is the largest purchaser of isobutylbenzene in my country. The development of the isobutylbenzene industry is accelerating, and my country’s procurement demand will further increase in the future.

Industry analysts people said that there are few isobutylbenzene manufacturers in my country, there is a certain gap in production scale compared with India, and the demand is high Rely on imports. In recent years, isobutylbenzene, as an important raw material for ibuprofen, has experienced strong market demand. In the future, as the development of downstream industries accelerates, the prosperity of my country’s isobutylbenzene industry will further increase.