Styrene

The monomer used to make polystyrene.

Formula
C8H8
Functional group
Vinyl group attached to a benzene ring
Molar mass
104.15 g/mol
Also known as
phenylethene, ethenylbenzene, vinylbenzene

Overview

Phenylethene

The monomer used to make polystyrene.

Its vinyl side group polymerises while the benzene ring remains attached. Industrial production commonly passes through ethylbenzene.

Identifiers

Formula
C8H8
Functional group
Vinyl group attached to a benzene ring
Molar mass
104.15 g/mol
Also known as
phenylethene, ethenylbenzene, vinylbenzene
Chemical identifiers
SMILES
C=Cc1ccccc1
InChI
InChI=1S/C8H8/c1-2-8-6-4-3-5-7-8/h2-7H,1H2
PubChem CID
7501

Properties

Melting Point
-30.65 °C
Boiling Point
145.3 °C
Density
0.9016 g/cu cm at 25 °C
Water solubility
In water, 300 mg/L at 25 °C

Related compounds

  • Alkenes

    The monomer used to make polystyrene.

References

  1. Polystyrene: from benzene and ethene to solid and expanded productsChemical Industry Education Centre, University of York
  2. PubChem: StyreneNational Center for Biotechnology Information

    Identity retrieved 2026-09-08; matched against the record's isomeric structure. Unspecified stereochemistry remains unspecified.

  3. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Styrene — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/7501#section=Melting-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. 3-488

  4. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Styrene — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/7501#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. 3-488

  5. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Styrene — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/7501#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. 3-488

  6. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Styrene — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/7501#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. 468