MOLECULE

m-Cymene

m-Cymene also known as 1-Isopropyl-3-methylbenzene, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as cumenes. These are aromatic compounds containing a prop-2-ylbenzene moiety. m-Cymene is an organic compound classified as an aromatic hydrocarbon. Its structure consists of a benzene ring meta-substituted with a methyl group and an isopropyl group. It is a flammable colorless liquid which is nearly insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. In addition to m-cymene, there are two other geometric isomers called o-cymene, in which the alkyl groups are ortho-substituted, and p-cymene, in which they are para-substituted. p-Cymene is the most common and only natural isomer. The three isomers form the group of cymenes (https://doi.org/10.1002/0471238961.0112112508011313.a01.pub2 ; https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a13_227). Cymenes can be produced in the laboratory by alkylation of toluene with propylene. m-Cymene has been reported to be present as a volatile component in cannabis samples (PMID: 26657499).