1,3-diethenylbenzene

Description

1,3-Diethenylbenzene, also known as **m-divinylbenzene**, is an organic compound with the formula C10H10. It is a colorless liquid with a pungent odor.

**Structure and Properties:**

* **Structure:** It consists of a benzene ring with two vinyl groups (CH=CH2) attached at the meta (1,3) positions.
* **Properties:**
* Liquid at room temperature
* Pungent odor
* Highly flammable
* Reactive due to the presence of double bonds

**Research Significance:**

1,3-Diethenylbenzene is important in research for several reasons:

**1. Polymerization:**

* It is a crucial monomer used in the production of **cross-linked polymers**, especially **polystyrene resins**.
* The vinyl groups of 1,3-diethenylbenzene can participate in polymerization reactions, forming strong crosslinks between polymer chains.
* These crosslinks increase the strength, rigidity, and thermal stability of the resulting polymer.

**2. Materials Science:**

* The crosslinked polymers derived from 1,3-diethenylbenzene have applications in:
* **Ion-exchange resins:** Used for water purification, separation processes, and analytical chemistry.
* **Adsorbents:** Used for capturing pollutants, gases, and organic molecules.
* **Insulating materials:** Used in electronics and construction.

**3. Organic Synthesis:**

* 1,3-Diethenylbenzene is a valuable starting material for synthesizing other organic compounds, including:
* **Pharmaceuticals:** Certain derivatives of 1,3-diethenylbenzene have shown potential as therapeutic agents.
* **Functional materials:** 1,3-Diethenylbenzene can be used to create materials with specific optical, electronic, or magnetic properties.

**4. Theoretical Studies:**

* The reactivity and electronic structure of 1,3-diethenylbenzene have been extensively studied using theoretical methods like computational chemistry.
* These studies provide insights into the molecule's behavior, bonding, and reaction pathways.

**Overall, 1,3-diethenylbenzene plays a significant role in research due to its ability to form robust crosslinked polymers, its potential as a starting material for organic synthesis, and its importance in materials science and theoretical studies.**

1,3-diethenylbenzene: structure given in first source [Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), National Library of Medicine, extracted Dec-2023]