Divinylbenzene


Divinylbenzene consists of a benzene ring bonded to two vinyl groups. It is related to styrene by the addition of a second vinyl group. It is a colorless liquid manufactured by the thermal dehydrogenation of isomeric diethylbenzenes. Under synthesis conditions, o-divinylbenzene converts to naphthalene and thus is not a component of the usual mixtures of DVB.

Production and use

It is produced by dehydrogenation of diethylbenzene:
Divinylbenzene is usually encountered as a 2:1 mixture of m- and p-divinylbenzene, containing also the corresponding isomers of ethylvinylbenzene.
Styrene and divinylbenzene react to form the copolymer styrene-divinylbenzene, S-DVB or Sty-DVB. The resulting cross-linked polymer is mainly used for the production of ion exchange resin.

Nomenclature

These compounds are systematically called diethenylbenzene, although this nomenclature is rarely encountered.