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Cumene

Cumene


IUPAC name	(1-methylethyl)benzene
Other names	isopropylbenzene 2-phenylpropane
Identifiers
CAS number	98-82-8
RTECS number	GR8575000
SMILES	CC(C)c1ccccc1
Properties
Molecular formula	C₉H₁₂
Molar mass	120.19 g mol⁻¹
Appearance	colorless liquid
Density	0.862 g cm⁻³, liquid
Melting point	−96 °C (117 K)
Boiling point	152 °C (425 K)
Solubility in water	insoluble
Viscosity	0.777 cP at 21 °C
Hazards
Main hazards	flammable
R-phrases	R10,R37,R51/53,R65
S-phrases	S24,S37,S61,S62
Flash point	102 °C
Related Compounds
Related compounds	ethylbenzene toluene benzene
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Cumene is the common name for isopropylbenzene, an organic compound that is an aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a constituent of crude oil and refined fuels. It is a flammable colorless liquid that has a boiling point of 152 °C. Nearly all the cumene that is produced as a pure compound on an industrial scale is converted to cumene hydroperoxide, which is an intermediate in the synthesis of other industrially important chemicals such as phenol and acetone.

Additional recommended knowledge

Essential Laboratory Skills Guide

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Production

Commercial production of cumene is carried out through the catalytic alkylation of benzene, with the addition of propylene. Solid phosphoric acid (SPA) supported on alumina can also be used as a catalyst, and this was the case prior to the mid-1990s when zeolite-based catalysts made the other technique commercially redundant. ^[1]

References

^ The Innovation Group website, page accessed 15/11/07

Category: Aromatic hydrocarbons

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Cumene". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.