Description

• General description: Toluene, a flammable liquid with a pungent odor, is widely employed as organic solvent. It is widely used as a precursor for synthesizing benzene and as a solvent in the paint industry.[1] It has been reported to be a biotoxic solvent (toxic to many microorganisms at 0.1%v/v concentrations).[2] Its anaerobic biodegradation to CO2, by the denitrifying bacterium Thauera arornatica has been reported.[3] It forms syndiotactic polystyrene-toluene molecular compound. Crystal structure of this molecular compound has been investigated by X-ray diffraction studies.[4]
• Application: Toluene may be used as a solvent in the following studies:Preparation of 4-arm polylactide-based (PLA) star oligomer.[5]Transformation of C6 sugar monomers/oligomers (glucose, maltose, and β-cyclodextrins) to levulinic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst.[6]