There are three distinct chemical compounds which are dichlorobenzenes:
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1,2-Dichlorobenzene or ''ortho''-dichlorobenzene;
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1,3-Dichlorobenzene
1,3-Dichlorobenzene (also known as meta-dichlorobenzene) is an organic compound with the formula C6H4Cl2. It is the least common of the three isomers of dichlorobenzene, and it is a colorless liquid that is insoluble in water. It is produced as a ...
or ''meta''-dichlorobenzene;
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1,4-Dichlorobenzene
1,4-Dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB, ''p''-DCB, or ''para''-dichlorobenzene, sometimes abbreviated as PDCB or para) is an organic compound with the formula C6H4Cl2. This colorless solid has a strong odor. The molecule consists of a benzene ring with ...
or ''para''-dichlorobenzene.
All three
isomer
In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers.
Is ...
s are colorless
organic compound
In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. Th ...
s with the formula CHCl. They differ structurally based on where the two
chlorine
Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between them. Chlorine i ...
atoms are attached to the
ring, like
bracelets
A bracelet is an article of jewellery that is worn around the wrist. Bracelets may serve different uses, such as being worn as an ornament. When worn as ornaments, bracelets may have a supportive function to hold other items of decoration, suc ...
with two beads of one color and four beads of another color.
Biodegradation
''
Rhodococcus phenolicus'' is a
bacterium
Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were am ...
species able to degrade dichlorobenzene as its sole
carbon
Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon ma ...
source.
References
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Chlorobenzenes