P-XYLENE Chemical Properties

Melting point:

12-13 °C (lit.)

Boiling point:

138 °C (lit.)

Density 

0.861 g/mL at 20 °C (lit.)

vapor density 

3.7 (vs air)

vapor pressure 

9 mm Hg ( 20 °C)

refractive index 

n20/D 1.495(lit.)

Flash point:

77 °F

storage temp. 

Store at +5°C to +30°C.

solubility 

water: soluble0.2g/L

form 

Liquid

pka

>15 (Christensen et al., 1975)

color 

Colorless

Relative polarity

0.074

Odor

Like benzene; characteristic aromatic.

Odor Threshold

0.058ppm

explosive limit

1.1-7%(V)

Water Solubility 

Miscible with alcohol, ether, acetone, benzene and chloroform. Immiscible with water.

λmax

λ: 294 nm Amax: 1.00
λ: 320 nm Amax: 0.10
λ: 350 nm Amax: 0.05
λ: 380-400 nm Amax: 0.01

Merck 

14,10081

BRN 

1901563

Henry's Law Constant

16.1 at 45.00 °C, 18.6 at 50.00 °C, 20.3 at 55.00 °C, 23.4 at 60.00 °C, 30.5 at 70.00 °C (static headspace-GC, Park et al., 2004)

Exposure limits

TLV-TWA100 ppm (～434 mg/m³) (ACGIH, MSHA, and OSHA); STEL 150 ppm (～651 mg/m³) (ACGIH); ceiling 200 ppm/ 10 min (NIOSH); IDLH 1000 ppm (NIOSH).

Dielectric constant

2.6（20℃）

Stability:

Stable. Incompatible with oxidizing agents. Hygroscopic. Flammable.

InChIKey

URLKBWYHVLBVBO-UHFFFAOYSA-N

LogP

3.16 at 20℃

CAS DataBase Reference

106-42-3(CAS DataBase Reference)

EPA Substance Registry System

p-Xylene (106-42-3)

Safety Information

Hazard Codes 

Xn,T,F

Risk Statements 

10-20/21-38-39/23/24/25-23/24/25-11

Safety Statements 

25-45-36/37-16-7

RIDADR 

UN 1307 3/PG 3

OEB

A

OEL

TWA: 100 ppm (435 mg/m3), STEL: 150 ppm (655 mg/m3)

WGK Germany 

2

RTECS 

ZE2625000

Autoignition Temperature

984 °F

TSCA 

Yes

HazardClass 

3

PackingGroup 

III

HS Code 

29024300

Hazardous Substances Data

106-42-3(Hazardous Substances Data)

Toxicity

LD50 orally in Rabbit: 3910 mg/kg

MSDS

• Language:English Provider:SigmaAldrich
• Language:English Provider:ACROS
• Language:English Provider:ALFA

P-XYLENE Usage And Synthesis

Description

p-xylene is an aromatic hydrocarbon based on benzene with two methyl substituents with the chemical formula C8H10 or C6H4(CH3)2. It is one of the three isomers of dimethylbenzene known collectively as xylenes. The “p” stands for para, identifying that he two methyl groups in p-xylene occupy the diametrically opposite substituent positions 1 and 4. p-Xylene is a colorless, flammable liquid practically insoluble in water. p-Xylene is a colorless watery liquid with a sweet odor and is dangerously flammable, with a flash point of 27°C. p-Xylene is widely used as a feedstock (or “building block”) to manufacture other industrial chemicals, notably terephthalic acid (TPA), purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and dimethyl-terephthalate (DMT). It also may be polymerised directly to produce parylene.

References

1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-Xylene
2.https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/p-xylene#section=Top
3.https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/paraxylene/

Chemical Properties

colourless liquid

Physical properties

Clear, colorless, watery liquid with a sweet odor. Odor threshold concentrations reported in air were 47 ppb_v by Leonardos et al. (1969) and 58 ppb_v by Nagata and Takeuchi (1990).

Uses

Xylene occurs in petroleum solvents andgasoline. The widest applications of xyleneare as solvents in paints, coatings, and rubber.Xylene isomers are used in the manufacture ofdyes, drugs, pesticides, and in many organicintermediates, such as terephthalic acid andphthalic anhydride.

Uses

p-Xylene is used as a precursor in the production of benzoic, isophthalic, tetraphillic acids and dimethyle esters, which are used in the manufacture of polyester. It acts as an intermediate in plastic and rubber products.

Uses

As solvent; raw material for production of benzoic acid, phthalic anhydride, isophthalic and terephthalic acids as well as their dimethyl esters used in the manufacture of polyester fibers; manufacture of dyes and other organics; sterilizing catgut; with Canada balsam as oil-immersion in microscopy; clearing agent in microscope technique.

Production Methods

Pure p-xylene can be obtained from a mixture of o- and p-xylene by sulfonation and subsequent removal of water-soluble o-xylenesulfonic acid.

Definition

ChEBI: A xylene with methyl groups at positions 1 and 4.

Synthesis Reference(s)

The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 53, p. 3247, 1988 DOI: 10.1021/jo00249a020
Tetrahedron Letters, 26, p. 1935, 1985 DOI: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)98345-X

General Description

A colorless watery liquid with a sweet odor. Less dense than water. Insoluble in water. Irritating vapor. Freezing point is 56°F.

Air & Water Reactions

Highly flammable. Insoluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

P-XYLENE may react with oxidizing materials. . Acetic acid forms explosive mixtures with P-XYLENE and air (Shraer, B.I. 1970. Khim. Prom. 46(10):747-750.).

Health Hazard

Vapors cause headache and dizziness. Liquid irritates eyes and skin. If taken into lungs, causes severe coughing, distress, and rapidly developing pulmonary edema. If ingested, causes nausea, vomiting, cramps, headache, and coma. Can be fatal. Kidney and liver damage can occur.

Health Hazard

The toxic properties of xylene isomers aresimilar to toluene or ethylbenzene. The targetorgans are the central nervous system, eyes,gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver, blood,and skin, which, however, are affected onlyat high levels of exposure. In humans itsexposure may cause irritation of the eyes,nose, and throat, headache, dizziness, excitement,drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, abdominalpain, and dermatitis. The irritation effectsin humans may be felt at a concentration of200 ppm in air, while exposure to 10,000 ppmfor 6–8 hours may be fatal.
The oral toxicity of xylene is low. Ingestionof a high dose, however, can causedepression of the central nervous system,dizziness, nausea, and vomiting and abdominalpain. The oral LD50 values in ratsfor xylene isomers are within the range of5000 mg/kg.
The major route of absorption of xyleneis inhalation. Another significant route isskin absorption of the liquid. About 5% ofabsorbed xylene is excreted unchanged inexpired air within a few hours, while less than2% is hydroxylated to xylenols. Over 90% ofabsorbed xylenes are metabolized to o-, m-,and p-isomers of methyl benzoic acid andexcreted in urine as methyl hippuric acids(ACGIH 1986). Small amounts of xylenesmay remain stored in adipose tissue. Repeatedexposures may cause accumulation in theblood.

Fire Hazard

Behavior in Fire: Vapor is heavier than air and may travel considerable distance to a source of ignition and flash back.

Flammability and Explosibility

Flammable

Chemical Reactivity

Reactivity with Water No reaction; Reactivity with Common Materials: No reaction; Stability During Transport: Stable; Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics: Not pertinent; Polymerization: Not pertinent; Inhibitor of Polymerization: Not pertinent.

Safety Profile

Moderately toxic by intraperitoneal route. Mildly toxic by ingestion and inhalation. An experimental teratogen. Experimental reproductive effects. May be narcotic in hgh concentrations. Chronic toxicity not established, but is less toxic than benzene. A very dangerous fire hazard when exposed to heat or flame; can react with oxidzing materials. Explosive in the form of vapor when exposed to heat or flame. To fight fire, use foam, CO2, dry chemical. Potentially explosive reaction with acetic acid + air, 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethyl-2,4- imidazolidinhone, nitric acid + pressure. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes. See also other xylene entries.

Source

Detected in distilled water-soluble fractions No. 2 fuel oil (1.11 mg/L), jet fuel A (1.23 mg/L), diesel fuel (0.56 mg/L), and military jet fuel JP-4 (5.48 mg/L) (Potter, 1996); in new and used motor oil at concentrations of 0.26 to 0.29 and 302 to 339 μg/L, respectively (Chen et al., 1994). The average volume percent and estimated mole fraction in American Petroleum Institute PS-6 gasoline are 1.809 and 0.02263, respectively (Poulsen et al., 1992). Diesel fuel obtained from a service station in Schlieren, Switzerland contained m/p-xylene at a concentration of 336 mg/L (Schluep et al., 2001).
Thomas and Delfino (1991) equilibrated contaminant-free groundwater collected from Gainesville, FL with individual fractions of three individual petroleum products at 24–25 °C for 24 h. The aqueous phase was analyzed for organic compounds via U.S. EPA approved test method 602. Average m+p-xylene concentrations reported in water-soluble fractions of unleaded gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel were 8.611, 0.658, and 0.228 mg/L, respectively. When the authors analyzed the aqueous-phase via U.S. EPA approved test method 610, average m+p-xylene concentrations in water-soluble fractions of unleaded gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel were lower, i.e., 6.068, 0.360, and 0.222 mg/L, respectively.
Based on laboratory analysis of 7 coal tar samples, m+p-xylene concentrations ranged from ND to 6,000 ppm (EPRI, 1990). Detected in 1-yr aged coal tar film and bulk coal tar at concentrations of 260 and 830 mg/kg, respectively (Nelson et al., 1996). A high-temperature coal tar contained pxylene at an average concentration of 0.03 wt % (McNeil, 1983).
Schauer et al. (2001) measured organic compound emission rates for volatile organic compounds, gas-phase semi-volatile organic compounds, and particle-phase organic compounds from the residential (fireplace) combustion of pine, oak, and eucalyptus. The gas-phase emission rate of m-xylene + p-xylene was 60.0 mg/kg of pine burned. Emission rates of both isomers were not measured during the combustion of oak and eucalyptus.
Drinking water standard (final): For all xylenes, the MCLG and MCL are both 10 mg/L. In addition, a DWEL of 70 mg/L was recommended (U.S. EPA, 2000).

Environmental Fate

Biological. Microbial degradation of p-xylene produced 4-methylbenzyl alcohol, pmethylbenzaldehyde, p-toluic acid, and 4-methylcatechol (quoted, Verschueren, 1983). Dimethylcis, cis-muconic acid, and 2,3-dihydroxy-p-toluic acid were reported to be biooxidation products of p-xylene by Nocardia corallina V-49 using n-hexadecane as the substrate (Keck et al., 1989). Reported biodegradation products of the commercial product containing xylene include α-hydroxy-p-toluic acid, p-methylbenzyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, 4-methylcatechol, m- and ptoluic acids (Fishbein, 1985). It was reported that p-xylene was cometabolized resulting in the formation of p-toluic and 2,3-dihydroxy-o-toluic acids (Pitter and Chudoba, 1990). In anoxic groundwater near Bemidji, MI, p-xylene anaerobically biodegraded to the intermediate p-toluic acid (Cozzarelli et al., 1990). In gasoline-contaminated groundwater, methylbenzylsuccinic acid was identified as the first intermediate during the anaerobic degradation of xylenes (Reusser and Field, 2002).
Photolytic. A n-hexane solution containing m-xylene and spread as a thin film (4 mm) on cold water (10 °C) was irradiated by a mercury medium pressure lamp. In 3 h, 18.5% of the p-xylene photooxidized into p-methylbenzaldehyde, p-benzyl alcohol, p-benzoic acid, and pmethylacetophenone (Moza and Feicht, 1989). Glyoxal and methylglyoxal were produced from the photooxidation of p-xylene by OH radicals in air at 25 °C (Tuazon et al., 1986a). The rate constant for the reaction of p-xylene and OH radicals at room temperature was 1.22 x 10^-11 cm³/molecule?sec (Hansen et al., 1975). A rate constant of 7.45 x 10^-9 L/molecule?sec was reported for the reaction of p-xylene with OH radicals in the gas phase (Darnall et al., 1976). Similarly, a room temperature rate constant of 1.41 x 10^-11 cm³/molecule?sec was reported for the vapor-phase reaction of p-xylene with OH radicals (Atkinson, 1985). At 25 °C, a rate constant of 1.29 x 10^-11 cm³/molecule?sec was reported for the same reaction (Ohta and Ohyama, 1985).
Chemical/Physical. Under atmospheric conditions, the gas-phase reaction with OH radicals and nitrogen oxides resulted in the formation of p-tolualdehyde (Atkinson, 1990). Kanno et al. (1982) studied the aqueous reaction of p-xylene and other aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, oand m-xylene, and naphthalene) with hypochlorous acid in the presence of ammonium ion. They reported that the aromatic ring was not chlorinated as expected but was cleaved by chloramine forming cyanogen chloride. The amount of cyanogen chloride formed increased at lower pHs (Kanno et al., 1982). Products identified from the OH radical-initiated reaction of p-xylene in the presence of nitrogen dioxide were 3-hexene-2,5-dione, p-tolualdehyde, and 2,5-dimethylphenol (Bethel et al., 2000).

Purification Methods

The general purification methods listed for xylene above are applicable. p-Xylene can readily be separated from its isomers by crystallisation from such solvents as MeOH, EtOH, isopropanol, acetone, butanone, toluene, pentane or pentene. It can be further purified by fractional crystallisation by partial freezing, and stored over sodium wire or molecular sieves Linde type 4A. [Stokes & French J Chem Soc, Faraday Trans 1 76 537 1980, Beilstein 5 H 382, 5 I 185, 5 II 296, 5 III 845, 5 IV 951.]

P-XYLENE(106-42-3)Related Product Information

• A,A-DICHLORO-O-XYLENE,A,A'-DICHLORO-O-XYLENE
• 4-Methylbenzyl chloride
• A,A'-DIHYDROXY-P-XYLENE
• A,A'-DICHLORO-M-XYLENE
• 4-CHLOROMETHYLBENZALDEHYDE; >95%DISCONTINUED 10/25/01
• 4-(CHLOROMETHYL)BENZYL ALCOHOL 99
• 1,2-BIS(TOSYLOXY)ETHANE
• 2,5-Dimethylphenol
• ALPHA,4-DIMETHYLBENZENE METHANOL
• Xylyl bromide.
• 1-BROMO-2,3,5,6-TETRAMETHYLBENZENE
• 4-(TRIFLUOROMETHYL)BENZYL BROMIDE
• alpha,alpha,alpha-Trifluoro-o-toluoyl chloride
• 4-(Trifluoromethyl)benzophenone
• A,A,A,A',A',A'-HEXAFLUORO-P-XYLENE
• Terephthaloyl chloride
• A,A'-DIBROMO-P-XYLENE
• 5-BROMO-2-METHOXY-1,3-DIMETHYLBENZENE,5-BROMO-2-METHOXY-M-XYLENE