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mesitylene

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mesitylene

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Also known as 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, symmetrical trimethylbenzene, sym-trimethylbenzene, 3,5-dimethyltoluene, s-trimethylbenzene

Mesitylene or 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene is a derivative of benzene with three methyl substituents positioned symmetrically around the ring. The other two isomeric trimethylbenzenes are 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (pseudocumene) and 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene (hemimellitene). All three compounds have the formula C6H3(CH3)3, which is commonly abbreviated C6H3Me3. Mesitylene is a colorless liquid with sweet aromatic odor. It is a component of coal tar, which is its traditional source. It is a precursor to diverse fine chemicals. The mesityl group (Mes) is a substituent with the formula C6H2Me3 and is found i

Chemical data

Formula
C9H12
Molecular weight
120.19 g/mol
IUPAC name
1,3,5-trimethylbenzene
SMILES
CC1=CC(=CC(=C1)C)C
InChIKey
AUHZEENZYGFFBQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
XLogP
3.4
Polar surface area
0 Ų
H-bond donors
0
H-bond acceptors
0
Formal charge
0

via PubChem

Wikidata facts

Mass
120.094
Show 13 more facts
Commons category
1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene
boiling point
329
chemical formula
C₉H₁₂
NIOSH Pocket Guide ID
0639
density
0.86
melting point
-44.7
vapor pressure
2
flash point
122
solubility
0.002
ionization energy
8.41
time-weighted average exposure limit
125
canonical SMILES
CC1=CC(=CC(=C1)C)C
electric dipole moment
0
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Article

8 sections
Contents
  • Preparation
  • Reactions
  • Applications
  • Niche uses
  • History
  • Mesityl group
  • Safety and the environment
  • References

Mesitylene or 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene is a derivative of benzene with three methyl substituents positioned symmetrically around the ring. The other two isomeric trimethylbenzenes are 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (pseudocumene) and 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene (hemimellitene). All three compounds have the formula C6H3(CH3)3, which is commonly abbreviated C6H3Me3. Mesitylene is a colorless liquid with sweet aromatic odor. It is a component of coal tar, which is its traditional source. It is a precursor to diverse fine chemicals. The mesityl group (Mes) is a substituent with the formula C6H2Me3 and is found in various other compounds.

==Preparation== Mesitylene is prepared by transalkylation of xylene over solid acid catalyst: 2 C6H4(CH3)2 ⇌ C6H3(CH3)3 + C6H5CH3 C6H4(CH3)2 + CH3OH → C6H3(CH3)3 + H2O

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