# Benzene, C6H6

Benzene (C6H6) is a colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell. It's an aromatic hydrocarbon, notable for its cyclic, planar structure which consists of a hexagonal ring of carbon atoms, with alternating double and single bonds, and with a hydrogen atom bonded to each carbon. Benzene is used as a starting material in the manufacture of a vast array of chemicals, including styrene (for making polystyrene), phenol, and aniline. Its ring structure serves as a basis for many other chemical compounds and is fundamental in organic chemistry. However, exposure to benzene has been linked to a number of health concerns, particularly leukemia, leading to restrictions on its industrial and commercial use in many countries.

## Other names

- Cyclohexa-1,3,5-triene
- 1,3,5-Cyclohexatriene
- Benzol
- Phene

## External links

- Benzene - Wikipedia
- Benzene - NIST Chemistry WebBook