xylene Chem.
(ˈzaɪliːn)
[f. Gr. ξύλον wood + -ene.]
A mixture of three isomeric hydrocarbons having the formula C8H10 = C6H4(CH3)2, obtained as a volatile colourless liquid from wood-spirit or coal-naphtha; any one of these three hydrocarbons: systematically named dimethylbenzene. Also attrib. (Also called xylol, q.v.)
| 1851 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. III. 184 Xylol or Xylene. 1859 Watts tr. Gmelin's Hand-bk. Chem. XIII. 116 Xylene series... Primary Nucleus C16H10. Xylol C16H10. 1885 I. Remsen Org. Chem. (1888) 241 Coal-tar xylene consists of three isomeric hydrocarbons..known as ortho-xylene, meta-xylene, and para-xylene. |
Hence xyˈlenic a., xylenol (ˈzaɪlɪnɒl), ˈxylenyl, xyleˈnylamine: see quots.
| 1868 Watts Dict. Chem. V. 1059 Xylenyl. Syn. with Xylyl. Ibid., Xylenylamine. Syn. with Xylidine. 1872 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. New Ser. X. 482 Liquid Xylenol is a colourless, highly refracting fluid, smelling strongly of phenol. 1873 Watts Fownes' Chem. (ed. 11) 798 Xylenol is produced by fusing the potassium salt of xylyl sulphurous acid with potassium hydrate. 1879 ― Dict. Chem. VI. 1128 Xylenol. C8H10O = C6H3(CH3)2OH. Dimethyl-phenol, Xenol, Xylylic phenol. Ibid. 1129 Solid xylenol dissolves abundantly in alcohol and ether... Liquid xylenol is colourless and strongly refractive. 1894 Muir & Morley Watts' Dict. Chem. IV. 871/2 Xylenic alcohol is tolyl-carbinol. |