What is "durene"

Durene \Du"rene\, n. [L. durus hard; -- so called because solid at ordinary temperatures.] (Chem.) A colorless, crystalline, aromatic hydrocarbon, C6H2(CH3)4, off artificial production, with an odor like camphor.

n. (context organic compound English) 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene, an aromatic hydrocarbon used as a solvent and in the manufacture of pyromellitic acid.

Durene, or 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene, is an organic compound with the formula CH(CH). It is a colourless solid with a sweet odor. The compound is classified as an alkylbenzene. It is one of three isomers of tetramethylbenzene, the other two being prehnitene (1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene, m.p. −6.2 °C) and isodurene (1,2,3,5-tetramethylbenzene, m.p. −23.7 °C). Durene has an unusually high melting point, reflecting its high molecular symmetry.