Hydroquinone

HYDROQUINONE (Photographic Grade)
IUPAC name : Benzene-1,4-diol
Other names : Hydroquinone, Idrochinone, Quinol , 1,4-Dihydroxybenzene , 1,4-Hydroxy benzene
CAS no :123-31-9
EEC no :204-617-8
Molecular Formula :C6H6O2
Molecular Weight :110.11g/mol

Hydroquinone is an aromatic organic compound that is a type of phenol, and a derivative of benzene. It is available as a white granular solid.

Hydroquinone is produced industrially by two main routes. The most widely used route is similar to the cumene process in reaction mechanism and involves the dialkylation of benzene with propene to give 1,4-diisopropylbenzene. This compound reacts with air to afford the bis(hydroperoxide), which is structurally similar to cumene hydroperoxide and rearranges to give acetone and hydroquinone in acid. A second route involves hydroxylation of phenol. The conversion uses hydrogen peroxide and affords a mixture of hydroquinone and catechol:

C6H5OH + H2O2 → C6H4(OH)2 + H2O