Benzene

Benzene is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula C₆H₆. Credit for its discovery and identification in 1825 is usually given to the English chemist and physicist Michael Faraday.

Benzene is a clear, colorless, highly flammable liquid with a pronounced characteristic odor. It has a freezing point of 41.9°F (5.5°C), a boiling point of 176.2°F (80.1°C), and a density of 0.8787 g/mL. It is only slightly soluble in water (0.18 g/100 mL at 77°F [25°C]), but is completely miscible with alcohol, chloroform, ether, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, and other organic solvents. Benzene is not to be confused with benzine, which is not a pure chemical compound but a mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons used as a solvent and a fuel.