Cymene
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cymene | |
|---|---|
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| Chemical name | 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)benzene |
| Chemical formula | C10H14 |
| Molecular mass | 134.21 g/mol |
| CAS number | [99-87-6] |
| Density | 0.857 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | -68 °C |
| Boiling point | 177 °C |
| SMILES | CC1=CC=C(C(C)C)C=C1 |
| Disclaimer and references | |
Cymene, or p-cymene, is a naturally occurring aromatic organic compound. It is classified as a hydrocarbon related to a monoterpene. Its structure consists of a benzene ring para-substituted with a methyl group and an isopropyl group. It is insoluble in water, but miscible with ethanol and ether.
Cymene is a constituent of a number of essential oils, most commonly the oil of cumin and thyme.
There are two less common geometric isomers. o-Cymene, in which the alkyl groups are ortho-substituted, and m-cymene, in which they are meta-substituted. p-Cymene is the only natural isomer.
Cymene is common ligand for ruthenium. The parent compound is [(η6-cymene)MCl2]2. This [sandwich compound|half-sandwich compound is prepared by the reaction of ruthenium trichloride with the terpene α-phellandrene. The osmium complex is also known.[1]
[edit] Reference
- ^ Bennett, M. A.; Huang, T. N.; Matheson, T. W. and Smith, A. K., "(h6-Hexamethylbenzene)ruthenium complexes", Inorganic Syntheses, 1982, 21, 74-8.
