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In the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries, the initialism BTX refers to mixtures of benzene, toluene, and the three xylene isomers, all of which are aromatic hydrocarbons. The xylene isomers are distinguished by the designations ortho – (or o –), meta – (or m –), and para – (or p –) as indicated in the adjacent diagram.
The reaction is used for the transfer of methyl and ethyl groups between benzene rings. This is of particular value in the petrochemical industry [1] to manufacture p-xylene, styrene, [2] and other aromatic compounds. Motivation for using transalkylation reactions is based on a difference in production and demand for benzene, toluene, and xylenes.
Aromatization is a chemical reaction in which an aromatic system is formed from a single nonaromatic precursor. Typically aromatization is achieved by dehydrogenation of existing cyclic compounds, illustrated by the conversion of cyclohexane into benzene. Aromatization includes the formation of heterocyclic systems. [1]
Toluene (/ ˈ t ɒ l. j u iː n /), also known as toluol (/ ˈ t ɒ l. j u. ɒ l,-ɔː l,-oʊ l /), is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon [15] with the chemical formula C 6 H 5 CH 3, often abbreviated as PhCH 3, where Ph stands for the phenyl group.
Hydrodealkylation is a chemical reaction that often involves reacting an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as toluene, in the presence of hydrogen gas to form a simpler aromatic hydrocarbon devoid of functional groups. An example is the conversion of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene to xylene. [1]
Several entrainers can be used for this specific process: benzene, pentane, cyclohexane, hexane, heptane, isooctane, acetone, and diethyl ether are all options as the mixture. [2] Of these benzene and cyclohexane have been used the most extensively, but since the identification of benzene as a carcinogen, toluene is used instead. [citation needed]
The most widely practiced example of this reaction is the ethylation of benzene. Approximately 24,700,000 tons were produced in 1999. [ 73 ] Highly instructive but of far less industrial significance is the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene (and many other aromatic rings) using an alkyl halide in the presence of a strong Lewis acid catalyst.
Alkylbenzenes are derivatives of benzene, in which one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by alkyl groups. The simplest member, toluene (or methylbenzene), has the hydrogen atom of the benzene ring replaced by a methyl group. The chemical formula of alkylbenzenes is C n H 2n-6. [2] Safety hazards of toluene.