Benzene vs Toluene: what is the difference?
Toluene is benzene with a methyl group; benzene is a known human carcinogen, while toluene is not classified as one because the body can oxidise that group.
One methyl group apart.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Drawn the same way round on the skeleton they share; the amber marks where the two differ.
- The captionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- What is highlightedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedOne line under each drawing, written from the atoms the amber marks.
Side by side
| Benzene | Toluene | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 78.11 g/molC6H6 | 92.14 g/molC7H8 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 0 | 0 |
| Where each turns upEditorial MoleculeFinder food and product lists |
| |
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Aromatic hydrocarbons | Aromatic hydrocarbons |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Everyday chemistry | Everyday chemistry |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Aromatics | Aromatics |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia, HSDB via PubChem | Danger | Danger |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
| LD50Measured HSDB via PubChem | 3,306 mg/kgpure benzene, rat, oral | 1,150 mg/kgpure toluene, mouse, another route |
| A single acute animal measure, here in two different species. It ranks nothing about human safety. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Where each turns upfrom sourceMoleculeFinder food and product listsEach amount is an editorial figure from our lists, not a measurement of any one product. Each mark is set by hand on the list, never inferred.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia, HSDB via PubChem
- LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- EU CLP Regulationfrom sourceAttributionSource: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, © European Union.
- Safe Work Australiafrom sourceAttributionSource: Safe Work Australia, Hazardous Chemical Information System, © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 241 (Benzene) and 1140 (Toluene).
In more detail
The formulas show the one group, C7H8 against C6H6, and it changes the hazard picture completely. Benzene is a known human carcinogen that damages bone marrow and causes leukaemia, and its use in consumer products is tightly restricted for that reason. Toluene is not classified as a carcinogen, because the body can oxidise that methyl group and excrete the result, a route benzene has no equivalent of. Toluene is still a neurotoxin on repeated inhalation, which is what makes solvent abuse dangerous, and it is the smell of paint thinner and permanent marker. Benzene's reported oral LD50 is 3306 mg/kg in rats, a figure that understates how differently the two behave over long exposure.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Benzene and Toluene?
- Toluene is benzene with a methyl group; benzene is a known human carcinogen, while toluene is not classified as one because the body can oxidise that group.
- Is Benzene bigger than Toluene?
- Toluene is the heavier molecule, 92.14 g/mol against 78.11 g/mol for Benzene. Benzene is C6H6 and Toluene is C7H8.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.