Benzophenone

A diaryl ketone with two identical phenyl substituents.

Formula
C13H10O
Functional group
Ketones; Acylbenzenes
Molar mass
182.22 g/mol
Also known as
diphenylmethanone, Diphenyl ketone, Benzoylbenzene, Methanone, diphenyl-, Phenyl ketone, alpha-Oxoditane

Overview

A diaryl ketone with two identical phenyl substituents.

Nucleophilic addition occurs at the carbonyl carbon. Reduction yields diphenylmethanol, whose OH-bearing carbon is not stereogenic because its two phenyl groups are identical. This contrasts with acetophenone, where reduction creates four different substituents at that carbon.

Identifiers

Formula
C13H10O
Functional group
Ketones; Acylbenzenes
Molar mass
182.22 g/mol
Also known as
diphenylmethanone, Diphenyl ketone, Benzoylbenzene, Methanone, diphenyl-, Phenyl ketone, alpha-Oxoditane
Chemical identifiers
SMILES
C1=CC=C(C=C1)C(=O)C2=CC=CC=C2
InChI
InChI=1S/C13H10O/c14-13(11-7-3-1-4-8-11)12-9-5-2-6-10-12/h1-10H
PubChem CID
3102

Properties

Melting Point
48.5 °C
Boiling Point
305.9 °C
Density
1.111 g/cu cm at 18 °C
Water solubility
In water, 1.37X10+2 mg/L at 25 °C

Related compounds

  • Ketones

    A diaryl ketone with two identical phenyl substituents.

  • Acylbenzenes

    A diaryl ketone with two identical phenyl substituents.

References

  1. PubChem Compound Summary: Benzophenone (CID 3102)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem

    Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-08.

  2. OpenStax Organic Chemistry: Nucleophilic addition reactions of aldehydes and ketonesJohn McMurry · OpenStax · 2023

    Supports the qualitative structure and reactivity context; identity and numerical measurements retain their original references.

  3. OpenStax Organic Chemistry: Nucleophilic addition of hydride and Grignard reagents: alcohol formationJohn McMurry · OpenStax · 2023

    Supports the qualitative structural interpretation of the recorded molecular structure; no new physical measurement or verified preparative yield is claimed.

  4. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Benzophenone — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/3102#section=Melting-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013., p. 194

  5. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Benzophenone — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/3102#section=Boiling-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 95th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2014-2015, p. 3-40

  6. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Benzophenone — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/3102#section=Density. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 95th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2014-2015, p. 3-40

  7. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Benzophenone — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/3102#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Yalkowsky, S.H., He, Yan, Jain, P. Handbook of Aqueous Solubility Data Second Edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL 2010, p. 939