Cyclopropane is the cycloalkane with the molecular formula (CH2)3, consisting of three methylene groups (CH2) linked to each other to form a triangular ring. The small size of the ring creates substantial ring strain in the structure. Cyclopropane itself is mainly of theoretical interest but many of its derivatives - cyclopropanes - are of commercial or biological significance.
Cyclopropane was used as a clinical inhalational anesthetic from the 1930s through the 1980s. The substance's high flammability poses a risk of fire and explosions in operating rooms due to its tendency to accumulate in confined spaces, as its density is higher than that of air.