Benzene
The foundational aromatic building block — the starting point for styrene/polystyrene, phenol/acetone, nylon intermediates and polyurethane precursors.
Chelora Chemicals supplies benzene to styrene, phenol and nylon-chain producers worldwide, with strict exposure-controlled logistics and full documentation on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 71-43-2
- IUPAC name
- Benzene
- Molecular formula
- C₆H₆
- Molecular weight
- 78.11 g/mol
- Boiling point
- 80.1 °C
- Melting point
- 5.5 °C
- UN Number
- UN 1114
- HS Code
- 2902 20
Note: Benzene is a confirmed human carcinogen and is handled under strict occupational exposure controls throughout its supply chain. Confirm requirements with your regulatory affairs team.
What Benzene is used for
Benzene is a colourless, highly flammable liquid with a characteristic sweet, aromatic odour, the simplest and highest-volume aromatic hydrocarbon. It is recovered industrially from catalytic reforming of naphtha, pyrolysis gasoline (a steam-cracker co-product), and toluene dealkylation or disproportionation.
Benzene sits at the head of the aromatic petrochemical chain. Its largest use is alkylation with ethylene to ethylbenzene, dehydrogenated to styrene for polystyrene, ABS and SBR. Major derivative routes also include alkylation with propylene to cumene (phenol and acetone), hydrogenation to cyclohexane (the nylon 6,6 and nylon 6 chain via adipic acid and caprolactam), and nitration to nitrobenzene/aniline (MDI for polyurethanes).
Where it sits in the petrochemical value chain
- Naphtha reforming / Pyrolysis gasoline / Toluene the feedstocks and routes benzene is recovered or produced from.
- Benzene (this product) the aromatic ring building block for the derivative chains below.
- Ethylbenzene / Cumene / Cyclohexane / Nitrobenzene major derivative chains built on benzene. See Toluene for a related aromatic feedstock.
Handling character
Benzene is a known human carcinogen and highly flammable, requiring closed-system handling and strict exposure limits. Full hazard detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Colourless liquid |
| Purity | 99.9% min (nitration/polymer grade) |
| Sulphur content | < 1 ppm (typical polymer grade) |
| Non-aromatic content | Within producer specification |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Colourless, highly flammable liquid |
| Boiling point | 80.1 °C |
| Melting point | 5.5 °C |
| Density | 0.8765 g/cm³ |
| Water solubility | Slightly soluble (~1.79 g/L) |
| Flash point | -11 °C (highly flammable) |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 71-43-2 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put Benzene to work
The aromatic ring behind polystyrene, phenolic resins, nylon and polyurethane chains.
Ethylbenzene & styrene
Alkylated with ethylene to ethylbenzene, dehydrogenated to styrene for polystyrene, ABS and SBR.
- Polymer-grade specification
- Bulk & drum supply
- Technical desk review on request
Cumene & phenol/acetone
Alkylated with propylene to cumene, oxidised to phenol and acetone for resins and solvents.
- Industrial-grade specification
- Documented batch traceability
- Contract & spot supply
Cyclohexane / nylon chain
Hydrogenated to cyclohexane, oxidised onward to adipic acid and caprolactam for nylon 6,6 and nylon 6.
- Full analytical documentation available
- Retained sample held against the lot
Nitrobenzene & aniline (MDI)
Nitrated to nitrobenzene, reduced to aniline, the feedstock for MDI polyurethane precursors.
- Documented batch traceability
- Technical desk review on request
Alkylbenzene & detergents
Alkylated into linear alkylbenzene (LAB), the feedstock for biodegradable detergent surfactants.
- Research & process-scale quantities
- Full documentation supplied
Contract & scheduled supply
Styrene, phenol and nylon-chain plants running continuous consumption are supported with scheduled bulk delivery.
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Price held across the contract period
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply Benzene
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. Benzene's carcinogen classification makes exposure control, documentation and logistics discipline critical — that shapes how we manage this line.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your required grade, your price point and your delivery window, and confirm your jurisdiction's import requirements before booking.
We keep a second qualified source on this line, so a single-plant disruption never becomes your production problem.
- Purity and sulphur content confirmed before we quote. Consistency matters to downstream styrene, phenol and nylon-chain chemistry.
- UN 1114 documentation managed end to end. Classification, labelling and carrier compliance confirmed before booking.
- Scheduled call-off scheduling. We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your consumption calendar.
- Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Classification, approved packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
- Nitration and polymer grade both sourced. Matched precisely to your derivative-chain specification.
Packed the way your plant receives it
Drum, tote or bulk tank — tell us your preferred format and we will quote and classify to it.
200-210 litre drums
Steel drums for smaller-volume orders and trial quantities.
~1,000 litre totes
Returnable or one-way IBC totes sized for mid-volume converter orders.
Large-volume bulk shipment
ISO tank or flexi-tank bulk shipment for continuous-consumption styrene, phenol and nylon-chain plants.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small packs dispatched for process trials before a commercial order is placed.
Contracted call-off supply
We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your consumption calendar.
Known human carcinogen — handled under strict controls
Benzene is a confirmed human carcinogen, highly flammable, and genotoxic, requiring closed-system handling and strict occupational exposure limits throughout its supply chain. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H225Highly flammable liquid and vapour.H350May cause cancer.H340+H372May cause genetic defects; causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.
Closed-system handling with strict exposure monitoring. Occupational exposure limits for benzene are very low; always read the SDS issued with your specific batch and follow site exposure-control and monitoring procedures.
Storage
Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, segregated from oxidisers and ignition sources, with vapour-recovery or closed-loading systems where required.
Handling
Handle only with engineering controls (closed transfer, local exhaust ventilation) and appropriate PPE; avoid any inhalation, ingestion or skin contact, and monitor workplace exposure continuously.
Transport
Shipped as UN 1114 (Benzene), a highly flammable, carcinogenic liquid. We confirm and document exact classification for your specific shipment and destination.
Every batch, documented
We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.
Specification agreed
Purity, sulphur content and non-aromatic impurity levels confirmed against your process requirement before order placement.
Producer batch testing
The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.
Documentation review
COA, SDS and transport paperwork checked by our desk before the shipment is booked.
Traceable dispatch
Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.
How Benzene is made
Benzene is recovered industrially from three main routes: catalytic reforming of naphtha (extracted from reformate), pyrolysis gasoline (a co-product of ethylene steam cracking, hydrotreated and extracted), and the hydrodealkylation or disproportionation of toluene, which converts toluene to benzene when market demand favours the latter.
We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.
| Chemical family | Aromatic hydrocarbon (simple arene) |
|---|---|
| Functional groups | Aromatic ring (delocalised pi system) |
| Reactivity | Electrophilic aromatic substitution (alkylation, nitration); catalytic hydrogenation |
| Related compounds | Toluene, Mixed Xylenes (related arenes), Ethylbenzene, Cumene, Cyclohexane (downstream) |
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Benzene, answered
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