Orthoxylene

Orthoxylene

Orthoxylene is one of the three xylene isomers, the others being paraxylene and metaxylene. The largest use for orthoxylene is to produce phthalic anhydride, which is used to produce esters used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC). All three xylene isomers are produced on a commercial scale by various refining processes including catalytic reforming of naphtha, toluene disproportionation, toluene transalkylation, and as a byproduct of ethylene steam crackers.