Formula C18H30 Molar mass 246.43 g/mol Melting point -7 °C | Boiling point 290 °C Density 856 kg/m³ Appearance colourless liquid | |
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Dodecylbenzene is an organic compound with the formula C12H25C6H5.Dodecylbenzene is a colorless liquid with a weak oily odor. Floats on water.
This colourless waxy solid consists of a dodecyl group (C12H25) attached to a phenyl group (C6H5). Dodecylbenzene is a precursor to sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, a surfactant that is a key ingredient of household laundry detergents, such as detergent powder.
Production
This compound and some related ones with the formulae C10+nH21+2nC6H5 (n = 0-6) are produced industrially by treating the corresponding alkenes C10+nH20+2n with an excess of benzene in the presence of hydrogen fluoride or related acid catalysts. The resulting alkylbenzene compounds are sulfonated to give the corresponding sulfonic acids. This sulfonation can be highly specific to place the sulfonic acid group across the ring, in the 4-position. The resulting sulfonic acid is then neutralized with base to give sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, which is subsequently blended with other components to give various cleaning products.
