p -Cymene
Skeletal formula
Ball-and-stick model
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
1-Methyl-4-(propan-2-yl)benzene
[ 1]
Other names
para -Cymene 4-Isopropyltoluene 4-Methylcumene Paracymene
Identifiers
3DMet
1903377
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard
100.002.542
EC Number
305912
KEGG
RTECS number
UNII
UN number
2046
InChI=1S/C10H14/c1-8(2)10-6-4-9(3)5-7-10/h4-8H,1-3H3
Y Key: HFPZCAJZSCWRBC-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Y InChI=1/C10H14/c1-8(2)10-6-4-9(3)5-7-10/h4-8H,1-3H3
Key: HFPZCAJZSCWRBC-UHFFFAOYAD
Properties
C 10 H 14
Molar mass
134.222 g·mol−1
Appearance
Colourless liquid
Density
0.857 g/cm3
Melting point
−68 °C (−90 °F; 205 K)
Boiling point
177 °C (351 °F; 450 K)
23.4 mg/L
−1.028× 10−4 cm3 /mol
1.4908 (at 20 °C) [ 2]
Hazards
GHS labelling :
Danger
H226 , H304 , H411
P210 , P233 , P240 , P241 , P242 , P243 , P273 , P280 , P301+P310 , P303+P361+P353 , P331 , P370+P378 , P391 , P403+P235 , P405 , P501
Flash point
47 °C (117 °F; 320 K)
435 °C (815 °F; 708 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their
standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Chemical compound
p -Cymene is a naturally occurring aromatic organic compound . It is classified as an alkylbenzene related to monocyclic monoterpenes .[ 3] Its structure consists of a benzene ring para -substituted with a methyl group and an isopropyl group . p -Cymene is insoluble in water, but miscible with organic solvents .
Isomers and production
In addition to p -cymene, two less common geometric isomers are o -cymene , in which the alkyl groups are ortho -substituted, and m -cymene , in which they are meta -substituted. p -Cymene is the only natural isomer, as expected from the terpene rule . All three isomers form the group of cymenes .
Cymene is also produced by alkylation of toluene with propene .[ 4]
It is a constituent of a number of essential oils , most commonly the oil of cumin and thyme . Significant amounts are formed in sulfite pulping process from the wood terpenes.
p -Cymene is a common ligand for ruthenium . The parent compound is [(η 6 -cymene)RuCl2 ]2 . This half-sandwich compound is prepared by the reaction of ruthenium trichloride with the terpene α-phellandrene . The osmium complex is also known.[ 5]
Hydrogenation gives the saturated derivative p -menthane .
References
^ Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry: IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013 (Blue Book) . Cambridge: The Royal Society of Chemistry . 2014. pp. 139, 597. doi :10.1039/9781849733069-FP001 . ISBN 978-0-85404-182-4 .
^ Pabst, Florian; Blochowicz, Thomas (December 2022). "On the intensity of light scattered by molecular liquids - Comparison of experiment and quantum chemical calculations" . The Journal of Chemical Physics . 157 (24): 244501. Bibcode :2022JChPh.157x4501P . doi :10.1063/5.0133511 . PMID 36586992 .
^ Balahbib, Abdelaali; El Omari, Nasreddine; Hachlafi, Naoufal EL.; Lakhdar, Fatima; El Menyiy, Naoual; Salhi, Najoua; Mrabti, Hanae Naceiri; Bakrim, Saad; Zengin, Gokhan; Bouyahya, Abdelhakim (2021-07-01). "Health beneficial and pharmacological properties of p-cymene" . Food and Chemical Toxicology . 153 : 112259. doi :10.1016/j.fct.2021.112259 . ISSN 0278-6915 .
^ Vora, Bipin V.; Kocal, Joseph A.; Barger, Paul T.; Schmidt, Robert J.; Johnson, James A. (2003). "Alkylation". Kirk‐Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology . doi :10.1002/0471238961.0112112508011313.a01.pub2 . ISBN 0471238961 .
^ Bennett, M. A.; Huang, T.-N.; Matheson, T. W.; Smith, A. K. (1982). "(η 6 -Hexamethylbenzene)Ruthenium Complexes". Inorganic Syntheses . 21 : 74–78. doi :10.1002/9780470132524.ch16 . ISBN 9780470132524 .