22Dimethylbiphenyl
2,2'-Dimethylbiphenyl is an organic compound with the chemical formula C14H14. It is a derivative of biphenyl where methyl groups are attached to the 2 and 2' positions of the two phenyl rings. This compound is a colorless solid at room temperature. Its structure leads to restricted rotation around the central carbon-carbon bond connecting the two phenyl rings, giving rise to atropisomerism, though in this specific case, the molecule is achiral due to a plane of symmetry. 2,2'-Dimethylbiphenyl is soluble in many organic solvents but has low solubility in water. It can be synthesized through various coupling reactions, such as the Ullmann reaction of 2-iodotoluene. It finds limited direct industrial applications but serves as a model compound in studies of hindered rotation and its effects on chemical and physical properties. It may be used as a precursor in the synthesis of more complex molecules. Information regarding its specific toxicity and environmental impact is not as extensively documented as for more common industrial chemicals.
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