Product

Product Models
Insights
Solutions
Main Product
Propylbenzene
Segment
Chemicals
Main-Family
Aromatics
Sub-Family
Benzene & Homologues
Physical State

Liquid

Product
Cumene
Names
Isopropylbenzene; Cumol; (1-Methylethyl)benzene; (Propan-2-yl)benzene
Product #Tags
#phenol #acetone #cumene #alkylation
Production
Production Production  

Description

Cumene, also known as isopropylbenzene (C₉H₁₂), is an aromatic hydrocarbon characterized by a benzene ring bonded to an isopropyl group. It is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid with an aromatic odor and a boiling point of approximately 152 °C.

Industrially, cumene is produced by Friedel–Crafts alkylation of benzene with propylene, traditionally using solid phosphoric acid or, more recently, zeolite catalysts to achieve high conversion and selectivity. Nearly all commercially produced cumene is immediately converted on-site to cumene hydroperoxide, the key intermediate in the cumene process, which yields phenol and acetone via the Hock rearrangement. Beyond its central role in phenol and acetone manufacture, cumene is also employed as a solvent and thinner in paints and coatings, as a high-octane fuel additive, and as an intermediate in the production of surfactants and propylene oxide.

 

Please login/register for full access
Insight Articles

Your insights will be shown here

Products Picture
Cumene production via alkylation of benzene with propylene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumene_process
  Product Communicator
Title Date
  UserPic Cumene (isopropylbenzene) description updated. 10/25/2024
  UserPic Cumene Specific Gravity @ 15° 9/23/2021
Identifiers
logo CAS Number
98-82-8
logo EC Number
202-704-5
logo ECHA InfoCard
100.002.458
logo IUPAC Name
(Propan-2-yl)benzene
logo PubChem ID
7406
Chemical Data
Chemical Formula

C9H19

Molecular Weight (g/mol)
120.195
Boiling Point (°C)
152
Melting Point (°C)
-96
Sulfur Content (wt%)
0
Specific Gravity
0.87
Crude Data
API Gravity
10
Country
Product Settings
Default
Status
A
Content provided by
Transaction Name Date
Modified by UserPic   Kokel, Nicolas 7/3/2025 3:28 PM
Added by UserPic   Kokel, Nicolas 2/15/2021 11:48 AM