n-Butanol is produced industrially from the petrochemical feedstock propylene. Propylene is hydroformylated to butyraldehyde (oxo process) in the presence of a rhodium-based homogeneous catalyst similar to Wilkinson's catalyst. The butyraldehyde is then hydrogenated to produce n-butano

Butyl alcohol is manufactured by the catalyzed hydrogenation of butyraldehyde in enclosed
systems, followed by distillation

poly(propene) (polypropylene)
propenal (acrolein) which is oxidized to propenoic acid (acrylic acid) which, in turn, is used to make acrylic polymers
propenonitrile (acrylonitrile) which is the monomer for poly(propenonitrile)
cumene ((1-methylethyl)benzene or isopropylbenzene) which is then used to make phenol and propanone (acetone)
epoxypropane (propylene oxide) which is used to make diols for the manufacture of polyurethanes and solvent
butanal (butrylaldehyde) and hence butanol, used as a solvent for surface coatings