''m''-Cymene is an

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...

classified as an

aromatic hydrocarbon 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 ...

. Its structure consists of a

benzene 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, ...

ring ''meta''-substituted with 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 ...

and 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 ...

. It is a flammable colorless liquid which is nearly insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents.

Isomers and production

In addition to ''m''-cymene, there are two other geometric isomers called ''o''-cymene, in which the alkyl groups are ''ortho''-substituted, and ''p''-cymene, in which they are ''para''-substituted. ''p''-Cymene is the most common and only natural isomer. The three isomers form the group of

cymenes The cymenes (methylcumenes, isopropyltoluenes) constitute a group of substances of aromatic hydrocarbons, which structure consists of a benzene ring with an isopropyl group (−CH(CH3)2), and a methyl group In organic chemistry, a methyl grou ...

. Cymenes can be produced by

alkylation Alkylation is the transfer of an alkyl group from one molecule to another. The alkyl group may be transferred as an alkyl carbocation, a free radical, a carbanion, or a carbene (or their equivalents). Alkylating agents are reagents for effecting ...

toluene Toluene (), also known as toluol (), is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with the smell associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, consisting of a methyl group (CH3) at ...

with

propylene Propylene, also known as propene, is an unsaturated organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CH=CH2. It has one double bond, and is the second simplest member of the alkene class of hydrocarbons. It is a colorless gas with a faint petrole ...

References

Alkylbenzenes C4-Benzenes {{Hydrocarbons