For example, to obtain styrene from benzene the route passes through ethylbenzene; but ethylbenzene is found in a mixture with its isomers, the xylenes; the ethylbenzene that is separated from the xylene mixture can be used in the manufacture of styrene.
The three isomeric xylenes (isomeric means that they have exactly the same number and kind of atoms but are arranged differently) occur together, and with them is another isomer, ethylbenzene, which has one ethyl group (−C2H5) replacing one of the hydrogen atoms of benzene.
By 1937 American chemist Robert Dreisbach and others at the Dow Chemical Company's physics laboratory had obtained purified styrene monomer through the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene and developed a pilot polymerization process.
Styrene is obtained by reacting ethylene with benzene in the presence of aluminum chloride to yield ethylbenzene.
Styrene, also known as phenylethylene, is obtained by reacting ethylene with benzene in the presence of aluminum chloride to yield ethylbenzene, which is then dehydrogenated to yield clear, liquid styrene.
They claim that kerosene and diesel fuel, which can contain benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene and naphthalene are reportedly used, as are methanol and formaldehyde, ethylene glycol, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide.
Styrene is a clear liquid obtained by the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene.
In addition to these compounds, ethylene and benzene combine to form ethylbenzene, which is dehydrogenated to styrene for use in the production of plastics and synthetic rubber.
Robert R. Dreisbach, "one of the most eccentric persons who ever worked for Dow," proposed combining ethylene with benzene, a liquid obtained from coal tar, to make ethylbenzene.
chemicals — benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene.
The natural gas industry does not have to disclose the chemicals used, but scientists have identified volatile organic compounds such as toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and benzene, the latter of which is a strong carcinogen.
