Why Propane?

According
to our survey, of all organic compounds propane has the
lowest melting point. This exceptional property of propane has been
rationalized by the coincidence of light molecular mass, low electrostatic
potential, low molecular symmetry as well as a loose arrangement of
molecules, unable to match opposite electrostatic potentials on their
surface and efficiently fill the space. The main structural features
of molecular arrangement persist at least to 6 GPa in propane and n-butane, which we have isothermally and isochorically crystallized
in a diamond-anvil cell.