Benzyl alcohol

From Sciencemadness Wiki
Revision as of 18:24, 22 August 2017 by Mabus (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search
Benzyl alcohol
Names
IUPAC name
Phenylmethanol
Other names
Benzenemethanol
Hydroxytoluene
Phenylcarbinol
Properties
C7H8O
C6H5CH2OH
Molar mass 108.14 g/mol
Appearance Colorless liquid
Odor Slightly aromatic
Density 1.044 g/cm3
Melting point −15.2 °C (4.6 °F; 257.9 K)
Boiling point 205.3 °C (401.5 °F; 478.4 K)
3.50 g/100 ml (20 °C)
4.29 g/100 ml (25 °C)
Solubility Miscible in acetone, benzene, chloroform, diethyl ether, ethanol, methanol
Vapor pressure 0.18 kPa (60 °C)
Acidity (pKa) 15.40
Thermochemistry
217.8 J·mol-1K-1
-352 kJ/mol
Hazards
Safety data sheet Sigma-Aldrich
Flash point 93 °C (199 °F; 366 K)
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
1,250 mg/kg (rat, oral)
Related compounds
Related compounds
Phenol
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Benzyl alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with the formula C6H5CH2OH, commonly used in the production of various compounds and in the pharmaceutical industry.

The benzyl group is often abbreviated "Bn" (not to be confused with "Bz" which is used for benzoyl), thus benzyl alcohol is denoted as BnOH.

Properties

Chemical

Benzyl alcohol can be oxidized to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid.

Physical

Benzyl alcohol is a colorless liquid, slightly soluble in water.

Availability

Benzyl alcohol is sold by chemical suppliers. Can also be purchased online.

Benzyl alcohol can sometimes be found in hardware stores as solvent, though most of the time mixed with other solvents.

Some window cleaning products and mouthwashers contain benzyl alcohol, albeit in a small percentage.

Preparation

Can be prepared by hydrolyzing benzyl chloride with sodium hydroxide. Benzyl chloride can be obtained by chlorinating toluene.

Projects

  • Make benzyl chloride
  • Make perfumes

Handling

Safety

Benzyl alcohol has low toxicity and has low volatility. It is however, severely toxic and highly irritating to the eye.

Storage

In closed bottles, preferably in air-tight bottles, if you intend to store it for long periods of time.

Disposal

No special disposal is required.

References

Relevant Sciencemadness threads