noun

• A colourless liquid hydrocarbon present in coal tar and petroleum and used as a solvent and in organic synthesis.

  Alternative name: methylbenzene; chemical formula: C₆H₅CH₃

  ‘The raw materials for today's dyes are mainly aromatic hydrocarbons: benzene, toluene, naphthalene, anthracene, pyrene, and others.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘In combination with nitric acid, toluene gives trinitrotoluene.’
  • ‘The powdered bark can also be treated with solvents, such as toluene, or amyl alcohol to extract the quinine.’
  • ‘In a second method, toluene is mixed with nitric acid and oxidized to produce benzoic acid.’
  • ‘Toxic chemicals such as benzene, toluene and methyl benzene were included in the list.’