1, chemical raw materials according to the source of the material can generally be divided into two categories of organic chemical raw materials and inorganic chemical raw materials.

(1) organic chemical materials

Can be divided into alkanes and their derivatives, olefins and their derivatives, alkynes and derivatives, quinones, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, phenols, ethers, anhydrides, esters, organic acids, carboxylates, carbohydrates, heterocyclic, nitriles, halogenated, amine acyl class.

(2) Inorganic chemical materials

The main raw materials of inorganic chemical products are chemical minerals containing sulfur, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and other chemical minerals (see inorganic salt industry) and coal, petroleum, natural gas, as well as air, water and so on. In addition, many industrial by-products and waste, is also the raw material of inorganic chemicals, for example: the iron and steel industry in the coke production process of coke oven gas, which contains ammonia can be recovered from sulfuric acid made of ammonium sulfate, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, smelting of sulfur dioxide can be used for the production of sulfuric acid and other waste gas.

2, according to the production process, can be divided into starting materials, basic raw materials and intermediate raw materials.

(1) starting materials

Beginning raw materials is the first step in the chemical production of raw materials, such as air, water, fossil fuels (i.e., coal, oil, natural gas, etc.), sea salt, a variety of minerals, agricultural products (such as starch-containing grains or wild plants, cellulose-containing wood, bamboo, reeds, straw, etc.).

(2) Basic raw materials

Basic raw materials are obtained by processing the starting materials, such as calcium carbide and various organic and inorganic raw materials listed above.

(3) Intermediate raw materials

Intermediate raw materials, also known as intermediates, generally refers to the complex organic chemical production, the basic raw materials with the production of products, but not the final application of the product, but also need further processing. For example, the production of dyes, plastics and pharmaceuticals, a variety of organic compounds: methanol, acetone, vinyl chloride and so on.