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Glite Dictionary
nitrobenzene

nitrobenzene

1 9.9
A poisonous yellow oily liquid used to make other chemicals and as a solvent
  • noun
  • /ˌnaɪtroʊˈbɛnziːn/
  • Specialized
: nitrobenceno

Examples

  • Is that going to be a you think a way you're going to make your fortune to sell nitrobenzene making it this way?

Surface Forms

nitrobenzene singular
nitrobenzenes plural

Morphology

nitrobenzene = benzene (transparent) = nitro + benzene

Follows standard chemical nomenclature: 'nitro-' denotes an NO2 group attached to benzene, so the compound is literally 'benzene with a nitro group'.

Etymology

Nitrobenzene joins nitro-, a part that points to 'nitrogen', and benzene, the basic chemical name first linked to the plant resin 'benzoin'. So nitrobenzene is a benzene molecule with a 'nitro' part attached, which explains why it is a special, often poisonous, oily chemical.