1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene Explained

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, also known as pseudocumene, is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH(CH). Classified as an aromatic hydrocarbon, it is a flammable colorless liquid with a strong odor. It is nearly insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. It occurs naturally in coal tar and petroleum (about 3%). It is one of the three isomers of trimethylbenzene.

Production

Industrially, it is isolated from the C aromatic hydrocarbon fraction during petroleum distillation. Approximately 40% of this fraction is 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene. It is also generated by methylation of toluene and xylenes and the disproportionation of xylene over aluminosilicate catalysts.[1]

Uses

Pseudocumene is a precursor to mellitic anhydride, from which high performance polymers are made. It is also used as a sterilizing agent and in the making of dyes, perfumes and resins. Another use is as a gasoline additive.[2]

Scintillator

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene dissolved in mineral oil is used as a liquid scintillator[3] in particle physics experiments such as NOνA and Borexino.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Karl Griesbaum, Arno Behr, Dieter Biedenkapp, Heinz-Werner Voges, Dorothea Garbe, Christian Paetz, Gerd Collin, Dieter Mayer, Hartmut Höke "Hydrocarbons" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2002 Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.
  2. Web site: 2008-01-28. text. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1994-08-01. Chemical Summary for 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene.
  3. etal. Liquid scintillator production for the NOvA experiment . Nuclear Instruments and Methods A . 799 . 1–9. November 1, 2015 . Mufson . S.. 10.1016/j.nima.2015.07.026. 1504.04035. 2015NIMPA.799....1M. 118578183 .