Xylene
What is Xylene?
Xylene (dimethylbenzene) refers to any of three isomeric aromatic hydrocarbons with formula C₈H₁₀ — ortho-xylene (1,2-dimethylbenzene), meta-xylene (1,3-dimethylbenzene), and para-xylene (1,4-dimethylbenzene). Mixed xylenes are a major industrial solvent and starting material; p-xylene is the precursor to terephthalic acid used in PET polyester production. They are obtained from petroleum reforming and coal tar.
Key Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Xylene (dimethylbenzene) refers to any of three isomeric aromatic hydrocarbons with formula C₈H₁₀ — ortho-xylene (1,2-dimethylbenzene), meta-xylene (1,3-dimethylbenzene), and para-xylene (1,4-dimethylbenzene). Mixed xylenes are a major industrial solvent and starting material; p-xylene is the precursor to terephthalic acid used in PET polyester production. They are obtained from petroleum reforming and coal tar.