The main chemical use of toluene is to make benzene and xylenes using a number of technologies. Toluene is also used in solvent applications and is consumed in the manufacture of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) which is used in the manufacture of polyurethane foams. 
More than 50% of toluene demand is used in the production of benzene and xylenes, around 25% in solvents and 7-8% in the TDI, benzoic acid and caprolactam. Around 15% of demand is accounted for by gasoline.
The original source of toluene from coke-oven gas has been replaced by the catalytic reforming of naphthas and from pyrolysis gasoline co-produced in the steam cracking of liquid feedstocks. A very small amount is still produced from light oil formed by the carbonisation of coal.
Toluene is a colourless, mobile liquid with a characteristic sweet, pungent, benzene-like odour. It is an irritant to the eyes, skin, nose and lungs. Toluene is a dangerous fire hazard and can lead to a flashback due to its heavy vapour.
Toluene
Price Reports
ICIS pricing gives you access on a weekly or real time basis to the latest price movements and critical market commentary on the Toluene market. Click below to see a quarterly market overview.
More about Toluene Price Reports
Toluene
Uses and Outlook
The main chemical use of toluene is to make benzene and xylenes using a number of technologies. In the hydrodealkylation (HDA) process, toluene and hydrogen are reacted to make benzene only. A toluene disproportionation (TDP) plant will convert toluene to benzene and xylenes while there are selective toluene disproportionation (STDP) processes that produce a paraxylene-rich stream. The transalkylation (TA) process takes toluene and C9 aromatics to produce xylenes.
More about Toluene Uses and Outlook
Toluene
Process Technologies
The original source of toluene from coke-oven gas has been replaced by the catalytic reforming of naphthas and from pyrolysis gasoline co-produced in the steam cracking of liquid feeds. A very small amount is still produced from light oil formed by the carbonisation of coal while small quantities are recovered as a byproduct in styrene manufacture.
More about Toluene Process Technologies
Search for
Toluene
Suppliers
If you are sourcing
Toluene
products and services, use ICIS search for fast and accurate results. ICIS search
is the search engine dedicated to the chemical industry – we show you only relevant
results -
search now.
Toluene
Plants and Projects
Get the latest information on global
Toluene
plants and projects