1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
Encyclopedia
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene is a colorless liquid with chemical formula C9H12. It is a flammable aromatic hydrocarbon
with a strong odor. It occurs naturally in coal tar
and petroleum
(about 3%). It is nearly insoluble in water, but well-soluble in ethanol
, diethyl ether
, and benzene
.
Industrially, it is isolated from the C9 aromatic hydrocarbon
fraction during petroleum distillation. Approximately 40% of this fraction is 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene.
is used as a liquid scintillator
. It is also used as a sterilizing agent and in the manufacture of dyes, perfumes, and resins. Another major use is as a gasoline additive
.
Aromatic hydrocarbon
An aromatic hydrocarbon or arene is a hydrocarbon with alternating double and single bonds between carbon atoms. The term 'aromatic' was assigned before the physical mechanism determining aromaticity was discovered, and was derived from the fact that many of the compounds have a sweet scent...
with a strong odor. It occurs naturally in coal tar
Coal tar
Coal tar is a brown or black liquid of extremely high viscosity, which smells of naphthalene and aromatic hydrocarbons. Coal tar is among the by-products when coal iscarbonized to make coke or gasified to make coal gas...
and petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
(about 3%). It is nearly insoluble in water, but well-soluble in ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, diethyl ether
Diethyl ether
Diethyl ether, also known as ethyl ether, simply ether, or ethoxyethane, is an organic compound in the ether class with the formula . It is a colorless, highly volatile flammable liquid with a characteristic odor...
, and benzene
Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
.
Industrially, it is isolated from the C9 aromatic hydrocarbon
Aromatic hydrocarbon
An aromatic hydrocarbon or arene is a hydrocarbon with alternating double and single bonds between carbon atoms. The term 'aromatic' was assigned before the physical mechanism determining aromaticity was discovered, and was derived from the fact that many of the compounds have a sweet scent...
fraction during petroleum distillation. Approximately 40% of this fraction is 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene.
Uses
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene dissolved in mineral oilMineral oil
A mineral oil is any of various colorless, odorless, light mixtures of alkanes in the C15 to C40 range from a non-vegetable source, particularly a distillate of petroleum....
is used as a liquid scintillator
Scintillator
A scintillator is a special material, which exhibits scintillation—the property of luminescence when excited by ionizing radiation. Luminescent materials, when struck by an incoming particle, absorb its energy and scintillate, i.e., reemit the absorbed energy in the form of light...
. It is also used as a sterilizing agent and in the manufacture of dyes, perfumes, and resins. Another major use is as a gasoline additive
Gasoline additive
Gasoline additives increase gasoline's octane rating or act as corrosion inhibitors or lubricants, thus allowing the use of higher compression ratios for greater efficiency and power, however some carry heavy environmental risks...
.