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(CH
3)
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 ...
(−CH
3) 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
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