1,2,3,4-Tetramethylbenzene Chemical Properties

Melting point:

76-80 °C(lit.)

Boiling point:

203°C

Density 

0.838 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)

vapor density 

4.6 (vs air)

vapor pressure 

160 mm Hg ( 140 °C)

refractive index 

1.5190

Flash point:

165 °F

storage temp. 

Sealed in dry,Room Temperature

solubility 

Chloroform (Slightly), Ethyl Acetate (Slightly)

form 

Oil

color 

Colourless

Odor Threshold

0.011ppm

Water Solubility 

Immiscible with water.

BRN 

1904390

Dielectric constant

2.5899999999999999

LogP

4.000

CAS DataBase Reference

488-23-3(CAS DataBase Reference)

NIST Chemistry Reference

Benzene, 1,2,3,4-tetramethyl-(488-23-3)

EPA Substance Registry System

1,2,3,4-Tetramethylbenzene (488-23-3)

Safety Information

Hazard Codes 

F

Risk Statements 

11

Safety Statements 

26-37

RIDADR 

UN 1325 4.1/PG 2

WGK Germany 

1

RTECS 

DC0500000

TSCA 

Yes

HazardClass 

3

PackingGroup 

Ⅱ

MSDS

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

1,2,3,4-Tetramethylbenzene Usage And Synthesis

Description

1, 2, 3, 4-Tetramethylbenzene is used as a starting material in the preparation of 1, 2, 3, 4-tetramethyl benzene-5-chlorosulfonyl chloride by reacting with chlorosulfonic acid¹. In industry, it is the precursor to pyromellitic dianhydride, which is used for manufacturing curing agents, adhesives, coating materials. It is used in the manufacture of some raw materials for engineering plastics (polyimides) and cross-linking agent for alkyd resins. It is also a suitable starting material for the synthesis of hexamethylbenzene^2-4.

Reference

1. https://www.alfa.com/en/catalog/L19756/
2. Hoefs, Marcel J. L., et al. "Alternative biological sources for 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene in flash pyrolysates of kerogen." Organic Geochemistry 23.10(1995): 975-979.
3. Sun, Yongge, et al. "Source facies of the Paleozoic petroleum systems in the Tabei uplift, Tarim Basin, NW China: implications from aryl isoprenoids in crude oils." Organic Geochemistry 34.4(2003): 629-634.
4. Jia, Wanglu, et al. "Source of 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene in asphaltenes from the Tarim Basin." Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 30.5(2007):591-598.

Chemical Properties

Colorless liquid. Soluble in alcohol; insoluble in water.

Uses

1,2,3,4-Tetramethylbenzene is a useful starting material and building block for organic synthesis. An analyte identified in the volatile oils from Taxodium ascendens leaves and cones. Antibacterial activity.

Definition

ChEBI: A tetramethylbenzene that consists of benzene substituted by methyl groups at positions 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Purification Methods

Dry it over sodium and distil under reduced pressure. The picrate has m 92-95o (EtOH). [Beilstein 5 H 430, 5 I 206. 5 II 329, 5 III 974, 5 IV 1072.]

1,2,3,4-Tetramethylbenzene(488-23-3)Related Product Information

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