Aromatic Hydrocarbon

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AROMATIC HYDROCARBON
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Institution

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AROMATIC HYDROCARBON
Aromatic Hydrocarbon
Aromatic hydrocarbon consists of molecules that contain a functional group that is
composed of two to three doubly bonded carbon atoms assuming the shape of a regular planar
(Clark, 2018). They are made of aromatic rings arranged with an alternating double and single
bonds. They include; benzene, methylbenzene, also known as Touline, phenol, and phenols,
ethers and epoxide, amines and the halide groups among many other examples. However, this
research paper only considers three of the aromatic compounds; Touline (methylbenzene),
benzene and the phenols, their chemical reactions, and the possible application in industry.
Benzene
Benzene takes part in electrophilic substitution reactions due to the high stability of the
delocalized electrons (Schwarzenbach, & Gschwend, 2016). The substitution reaction is
activated by the electrophiles. The benzene molecule is made up of six carbon atoms, during
substation reaction only one hydrogen in each of the carbon atoms are substituted by either the
amine or the halides, the resulting sense compound will have a formula of C6H5X .X, in this
case, is the substituting group (say, ethyl group) (Schwarzenbach, & Gschwend, 2016). The
process of substitution continues until all the hydrogen molecules attached to each of the six
carbon atoms in the benzene molecules are completely substituted
Benzene can undergo different types of substitution reactions depending on the particles
being substituted (Schwarzenbach, & Gschwend, 2016). When treated with a sulphonic acid
group (-SO3H), it is referred to as sulphonation substitution reaction see the reaction below of
benzene molecule and concentrated sulphuric(VI),

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The hydrogen attached to the carbon number one is replaced by the (-SO3H), group
leading to the formation of benzene sulphonic acid (Clark, 2018). When the substituted group is
alkyl halide, then its referred to as Friedel-Crafts alkylation.
One of the hydrogen attached to the carbon number one get substituted with the methyl
chloride in the presence of alumminium chloride used as a catalyst to form Methyl benzene
(Clark, 2018). This type of reaction is useful industrially in the manufacture of critical industrial
chemicals such as ethylene that can be used in the production of styrene as well as polystyrene.

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Benzene also undergoes an addition reaction with either hydrogen or halogens under high
temperatures and pressure (Baum, 2018). When benzene is treated with benzene in the presence
of nickel catalyst, cyclohexane is formed. This type of addition reaction is referred to as
hydrogenation. The added hydrogen molecules break the alternating double bonds within the
ring resulting in the formation of singly bonded cyclohexane molecule (Baum, 2018). The
hydrogenation process is used in the oil manufacturing industries for the hardening of oil to
produce margarine.
Benzene molecule, when heated in the presence of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water is
produced (Clark, 2018). This type of reaction is essential for the industrial production of carbon
dioxide used for the preservation of soft drink.
C6H6 + 1502 à 12CO2 + 6h2O +Heat