Alkylbenzene

An alkylbenzene is a chemical compound that contains a monocyclic aromatic ring attaching to one or more saturated hydrocarbon chains.

[1] Alkylbenzenes are derivatives of benzene, in which one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by alkyl groups.

The simplest member, toluene (or methylbenzene), has the hydrogen atom of the benzene ring replaced by a methyl group.

However, LABs are more industrially favoured since the discovery of its extensive biodegradable yield over BAB-based sulfonates in the 1960s.

Conventional GC-MS yields limited results because the isomers have identical molecular weight and substituents.

Toluene (or methylbenzene) is a common chemical found in chemistry laboratories.
Safety hazards of toluene. Oftentimes, toluene is used as an organic solvent.
Xylene isomers are also used as solvents in laboratories. Note that in the photo, o -xylene, not being stored in a brown glass bottle, appears to have auto-oxidized.