toluene

toluene

toluene or methylbenzene , C 7 H 8 , colorless liquid aromatic hydrocarbon that melts at -95°C and boils at 110.8°C. It is insoluble in water but highly soluble in most organic solvents. Toluene is obtained from coal tar and petroleum by distillation. It is used as a solvent and as a starting material for the synthesis of many compounds, including dyes and explosives. When toluene is treated with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids (a process known as nitration), trinitrotoluene (TNT) is produced.

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"toluene." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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toluene

toluene (methylbenzene) Aromatic hydrocarbon (C6H5CH3) derived from coal tar and petroleum. It is a colourless, flammable liquid used as an industrial solvent and in aircraft and motor fuels. Toluene is also used to make TNT. Properties: r.d. 0.87; m.p. −94.5°C (−138.1°F); b.p. 110.7°C (231.3°F).

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"toluene." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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toluene

tol·u·ene / ˈtälyoōˌēn/ • n. Chem. a colorless liquid hydrocarbon (C6H5CH3) present in coal tar and petroleum and used as a solvent and in organic synthesis. Also called methylbenzene.

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"toluene." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"toluene." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-toluene.html

"toluene." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-toluene.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

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Magazine article from: China Chemical Reporter; 5/6/1998
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toluene. Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)