Cyclohexylbenzene
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cyclohexylbenzene is the organic compound with the structural formula C6H5−C6H11. It is a derivative of benzene with a cyclohexyl substituent (C6H11). It is a colorless liquid.
| Names | |
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| Preferred IUPAC name
Cyclohexylbenzene | |
| Other names
Phenylhexamethylene
Phenylcyclohexane | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChEMBL | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.011.429 |
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PubChem CID |
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| UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |
| C12H16 | |
| Molar mass | 160.260 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | Colorless liquid |
| Density | 0.982 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 7.3 °C (45.1 °F; 280.4 K) |
| Boiling point | 240.1 °C (464.2 °F; 513.2 K) |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling: | |
| Danger | |
| H302, H304, H315, H319, H410 | |
| P264, P270, P273, P280, P301+P310, P301+P312, P302+P352, P305+P351+P338, P321, P330, P331, P332+P313, P337+P313, P362, P391, P405, P501 | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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History and synthesis
Cyclohexylbenzene was first obtained in 1899 by Markovnikov's student Nikolay Kirsanov (1874–1921).[1] He used a Friedel–Crafts alkylation of benzene with cyclohexyl chloride using a catalyst such as aluminum trichloride:[2]
- C6H6 + C6H11Cl → C6H5−C6H11 + HCl
Cyclohexylbenzene is now industrially produced by the acid-catalyzed alkylation of benzene with cyclohexene.[3][4] The process can proceed using benzene as the exclusive organic precursor. Its partial hydrogenation gives cyclohexene, which alkylates the unhydrogenated benzene.[5]
It is also generated by the hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene,[6] and ExxonMobil took a patent in 2009 for a process based on direct hydroalkylation of two benzene molecules.[7]
Applications
A route to phenol analogous to the cumene process begins with cyclohexylbenzene, which is oxidized to a hydroperoxide, akin to the production of cumene hydroperoxide. Via the Hock rearrangement, cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide cleaves to give phenol and cyclohexanone:
- C6H5−C6H10OOH → C6H5OH + OC6H10
Cyclohexanone is an important precursor to some nylons.[8][5]
