toluene

toluene
/tol"yooh een'/, n. Chem.
a colorless, water-insoluble, flammable liquid, C7H8, having a benzenelike odor, obtained chiefly from coal tar and petroleum: used as a solvent in the manufacture of benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, TNT, and other organic compounds. Also called methylbenzene, phenylmethane.
[1870-75; TOLU + -ENE]

* * *

Colourless, flammable, toxic liquid hydrocarbon aromatic compound (C6H5CH3), the methyl derivative of benzene.

Found in coal-tar light oil and in petroleum, it is obtained chiefly from the processing of petroleum fractions. It is used as a solvent, diluent, and thinner; as an antiknock additive in airplane gasoline; and as a raw material for TNT, benzoic acid and its derivatives, saccharin, dyes, photographic chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

* * *

      aromatic hydrocarbon used extensively as starting material for the manufacture of industrial chemicals. It comprises 15–20 percent of coal-tar light oil and is a minor constituent of petroleum. Both sources provide toluene for commercial use, but larger amounts are made by catalytic reforming of petroleum naphtha. The compound is used in the synthesis of trinitrotoluene (TNT), benzoic acid, saccharin, dyes, photographic chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. It is also used as a solvent and antiknock additive for aviation gasoline. Pure toluene (melting point, -95° C [-139° F]; boiling point, 110.6° C [231.1° F]) is a colourless, flammable, toxic liquid, insoluble in water but soluble in all common organic solvents. Its chemical formula is that of methylbenzene, C6H5CH3.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Toluene — IUPAC name …   Wikipedia

  • Toluène — structure et représentations du toluène Général Nom IUPAC Toluène …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Toluene — Toluène Toluène structure et représentations du toluène Général Nom IUPAC Toluène …   Wikipédia en Français

  • TOLUÈNE — Hydrocarbure aromatique encore appelé méthylbenzène. Formule: C6H5 CH3 Masse moléculaire: 92,13 g Masse spécifique: 0,866 g/cm3 Point de fusion: 95 0C Point d’ébullition: 110,8 0C. Infiniment soluble dans l’éthanol, l’éther et le benzène. Le… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • toluene —    Toluene is a liquid used as a solvent and as a thinner for certain inks, paints, lacquers, resins, cleaners, and adhesives. It is an organic liquid with a sweet, benzene like odor, found in gasoline and aviation fuel. The most common use of… …   Glossary of Art Terms

  • Toluene — Tol u*ene, n. [Tolu + benzene.] (Chem.) A hydrocarbon, {C6H5.CH3}, of the aromatic series, homologous with benzene, and obtained as a light mobile colorless liquid, by distilling tolu balsam, coal tar, etc.; called also {methyl benzene}, {phenyl… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • toluene — (n.) colorless liquid hydrocarbon, 1871, from Ger. toluin (Berzelius, 1842), from Tolu, place in Colombia (now Santiago de Tolu) from which balsam of Tolu was obtained from the bark of certain trees. The chemical so called because it was first… …   Etymology dictionary

  • toluene — [täl′yo͞o ēn΄] n. [ TOLU + (BENZ)ENE] a colorless, liquid, flammable, poisonous hydrocarbon, C6H5CH3, obtained originally from balsam of Tolu but now generally from coal tar or petroleum, and used in making dyes, explosives, etc. and as a solvent …   English World dictionary

  • toluene — noun Etymology: French toluène, from tolu balsam from the tropical American tree Myroxylon balsamum, from Spanish tolú, from Santiago de Tolú, Colombia Date: 1855 a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon C7H8 that resembles benzene but is less volatile,… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • toluene — to·lu·è·ne s.m. TS chim. idrocarburo aromatico la cui molecola si può derivare da quella del benzene per sostituzione di un atomo di idrogeno con un gruppo metilico, usato come antidetonante per benzine, come solvente di lacche e di resine e come …   Dizionario italiano

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”