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Anthracene is one of the smaller polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. (The only smaller one is naphthalene.) It was isolated from coal tar in 1832 by pioneering French chemists Jean-Baptiste Dumas and Auguste Laurent.
Anthracene can be synthesized by the Elbs reaction, in which o-tolyl phenyl ketone is dehydrated at 400–450 ºC. But most commercial anthracene is still recovered from coal tar.
In commerce, anthracene is mainly used as a starting material for the manufacture of 9,10-anthraquinone, which in turn is used to make colorants such as the red dye alizarin. More recently, crystalline anthracene was found to be a useful wide band-gap semiconductor in devices such as organic field-effect transistors and scintillators for detecting high-energy subatomic particles.
Anthracene hazard information*
Hazard class** | Hazard statement | |
---|---|---|
Acute toxicity, dermal, category 4 | H312—Harmful in contact with skin | ![]() |
Skin corrosion/irritation, category 2 | H315—Causes skin irritation | ![]() |
Serious eye damage/eye irritation, category 2A | H319—Causes serious eye irritation | ![]() |
Specific target organ toxicity, single exposure, respiratory tract irritation, category 3 | H335—May cause respiratory irritation | ![]() |
Carcinogenicity, category 1A | H350—May cause cancer | ![]() |
Hazardous to the aquatic environment, acute hazard, category 1 | H400—Very toxic to aquatic life | ![]() |
Hazardous to the aquatic environment, long-term hazard, category 1 | H410—Very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects | ![]() |
*Combined from multiple safety data sheets.
**Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Explanation of pictograms.
Anthracene fast facts
CAS Reg. No. | 120-12-7 |
SciFinder nomenclature | Anthracene |
Empirical formula | C14H10 |
Molar mass | 178.23 g/mol |
Appearance | White crystals or powder |
Melting point | 218 ºC |
Water solubility | 44 μg/L |

Learn more about this molecule from CAS, the most authoritative and comprehensive source for chemical information.
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