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In 1825, Michael Faraday became the first scientist to discover benzene. He recovered benzene from compressed illuminating gas produced from the pyrolysis of whale oil in cylinders.
Benzene is a non-polar, colourless, inflammable liquid with a sweet, unique scent that some find pleasant. However, be aware that benzene is extremely poisonous and can be absorbed via the skin. At normal temperature, benzene has a melting point of 5.5°C and a boiling point of 80°C, making it a liquid. Because benzene is immiscible with water and has a lower density of 0.879 g/cm3, it will form the upper layer. Although benzene is an excellent organic compound solvent, it is preferable to use its derivative methylbenzene (toluene).
PROPERTIES OF BENZENE
1. Benzene is water insoluble but soluble in organic solvents.
2. It’s a colourless liquid with a pleasant fragrance.
3. The density is 0.87 grams per cubic metre.
4.It has a density of 4. 0.87g cm-3.
5. Benzene has a moderate boiling temperature and a high melting point.
6. It demonstrates resonance.
7. Benzene’s flame is sooty and highly flammable.
8. When benzene combines with chlorine in the presence of UV radiation, gammaxene is produced.
9. When benzene reacts with nitric acid in the presence of sulphuric acid, nitrobenzene is produced.
10. Delocalised -electrons in benzene cause the ring to operate as an electron rich centre. In benzene, an electrophilic substitution reaction occurs.
11. Delocalised electrons stabilise the benzene ring. It performs addition and oxidation reactions under certain conditions, despite its excellent stability.
APPLICATION OF BENZENE
Many commercial, industrial, and scientific operations employ benzene as a solvent. Because of its high octane number, it has piqued attention as a fuel for a long time. It has been used as a gasoline addition by some manufacturers, mainly in Europe, to improve engine efficiency and starting qualities.
However, the manufacture of other aromatic compounds is by far the most important usage of benzene. The term aromatic was first used to benzene because of its characteristic odour, but it has since expanded to include any chemical with one or more benzene rings in its molecular structure. The majority of benzene-derived chemicals are used to make commercially useful polymers such as polystyrene, nylon, and synthetic rubber.
Ethylbenzene is the most abundant benzene derivative manufactured ( C6H5C2H5 ). Styrene (C6H5CH=CH2) is formed when ethylbenzene is transformed to styrene ( C6H5CH=CH2), which is then polymerized to generate polystyrene. This technique consumes over half of all benzene used in chemical synthesis.
Cuimene is formed when benzene is combined with propylene in another example
( CH5CH[CH3]2). Cumene is produced, which is then oxidised to generate phenol. Phenol is the starting point for phenolic resins, which are a class of polymers.
A third type of benzene substitution sequence produces synthetic fibres. When hydrogen is added to benzene, it becomes cyclohexane (C6H12), which is then oxidised to form adipic acid (COOH[CH2]4-COOH) Nylon can then be made by treating the acid with hexamethylenediamine.
Benzene’s Chemical Structure
Benzene has the chemical formula C6H6, which means it has six hydrogen atoms and six carbon atoms, with an average mass of around 78.112. The structure has three double bonds and a six-carbon ring, which is represented by a hexagon. A corner that is bonded to other atoms represents the carbon atoms.
The atoms in benzene are hydrogens. Because the double bonds in this structure are mostly separated by a single bond, it is known as a conjugated double bond arrangement. Inside the hexagon that represents six pi electrons, a circle is used as an alternate sign.
Benzene is classified as a hydrocarbon due to its chemical formula. It’s a chemical made up entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms. The formulae and structure reveal benzene to be a pure aromatic hydrocarbon, as well as a ring-shaped compound composed of hydrogen and carbon with alternate double bonds.
CONCLUSION
Benzene is a highly combustible chemical that is used as a solvent and in the manufacture of a variety of other products. This organic compound’s chemical formula is C₆H₆.The chemical formula for benzene is C₆H₆, i.e it has 6 hydrogen- H atoms and six-carbon atoms and has an average mass of about 78.112.Benzene is used as a solvent in many commercial, industrial, and research operations. It has long been of interest as a fuel because of its high octane number.
