Toluene /tljuin/, formerly known as toluol /tljul/, is a clear, water-insoluble liquid with the

typical smell of paint thinners. It is a mono-substitutedbenzene derivative, i.e., one in which a single
hydrogen atom from a group of six atoms from the benzene molecule has been replaced by a
univalent group, in this case CH3. As such, its IUPAC systematic name is methylbenzene.
It is an aromatic hydrocarbon that is widely used as an industrial feedstock and as a solvent. Like
other solvents, toluene is sometimes also used as aninhalant drug for its intoxicating properties;
however, inhaling toluene has potential to cause severe neurological harm. [2][3] Toluene is an
important organic solvent, but is also capable of dissolving a number of notable inorganic chemicals
such as sulfur,[4] iodine, bromine, phosphorus, and other non-polar covalent substances.