Dinitrobenzenes are chemical compounds composed of a
benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms ...
ring and two
nitro group
In organic chemistry, nitro compounds are organic compounds that contain one or more nitro functional groups (). The nitro group is one of the most common explosophores (functional group that makes a compound explosive) used globally. The nitr ...
(-NO
2)
substituents. The three possible arrangements of the nitro groups afford three
isomers,
1,2-dinitrobenzene,
1,3-dinitrobenzene, and
1,4-dinitrobenzene. Each isomer has the chemical formula C
6H
4N
2O
4 and a molar mass of about 168.11 g/mol. 1,3-Dinitrobenzene is the most common isomer and it is used in the manufacture of
explosives.
Properties
The dinitrobenzenes are all crystalline solids. The boiling points of the three isomers are relatively close; however, the melting points significantly differ. 1,4-Dinitrobenzene, which has the highest symmetry, has the highest melting point.
References
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Nitrobenzenes