Synonyms

Petroleum Benzin. Petroleum Ether. A purified distillate from American Petroleum, consisting of hydrocarbons, chiefly of the Marsh-gas series (C5H12, C6H14, and homologous compounds).

Characters

A transparent, colorless, diffusive liquid, of a strong, characteristic odor, slightly resembling that of Petroleum, but much less disagreeable, and having a neutral reaction. Sp. gr., 0.67to 0.675. Solubility. - Insoluble in water; soluble in about 6 parts of Alcohol, and readily soluble in Ether, Chloroform, Benzol, fixed and volatile oils.

Uses of Benzin.

Benzin is used to obtain volatile oils by percolation, as a substitute for ether in making oleoresins, for dissolving fats, resins, caoutchouc and some of the alkaloids.