Benzene

Benzene is the fundamental building block of aromatic compounds. About half of the benzene that is manufactured is used to produce ethylbenzene, which in turn is used to make poly(nylethene) (polystyrene). (1-methylethyl)benzene (cumene) accounts for another quarter, which is used to make nol and propanone (acetone) which are converted, for example, into a wide range of polymers. Another important use is to make cyclohexane, which is used, in turn, to make hexanedioic acid (adipic acid) and caprolactam, essential intermediates in the manufacture of polyamides.

Nitrobenzene is reduced to nylamime (anid to make azo dyes, methylene dinyl diisocyanate (MDI) used to make polyurethanes and it is also used in the manufacture of the analgesic, paracetamol. Another use of benzene is in the manufacture of alkylbenzene sulfonates, important surfactants.