The cymenes (methylcumenes, isopropyltoluenes) constitute a group of substances of

aromatic hydrocarbons Aromatic compounds, also known as "mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons", are organic compounds containing one or more aromatic rings. The parent member of aromatic compounds is benzene. The word "aromatic" originates from the past grouping ...

, which structure consists of a

benzene ring Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms, ...

with an

isopropyl group In organic chemistry, propyl is a three-carbon alkyl substituent with chemical formula for the linear form. This substituent form is obtained by removing one hydrogen atom attached to the terminal carbon of propane. A propyl substituent is ofte ...

(−CH(CH₃)₂), and a

methyl group In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula . In formulas, the group is often abbreviated as Me. This hydrocarbon group occurs in many ...

(−CH₃) as a substituent. Through their different arrangement, they form three structural isomers with the molecular formula C₁₀H₁₄. They also belong to the group of C₄-benzenes. The best-known isomer is the ''p''-cymene, it occurs in nature and is one of the

terpenes Terpenes () are a class of natural products consisting of compounds with the formula (C5H8)n for n > 1. Comprising more than 30,000 compounds, these unsaturated hydrocarbons are produced predominantly by plants, particularly conifers. Terpenes ar ...

References

Alkylbenzenes C4-Benzenes Monoterpenes Isopropyl compounds {{Organic-chem-stub