Cyclohexane is a colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive detergent-like odor, reminiscent of cleaning products (in which it is sometimes used). Cyclohexane is mainly used for the industrial production of adipic acid and caprolactam, which are precursors to nylon.
Original cyclohexanes are almost not water-soluble, owing to the six-membered rings do not possess polar groups to support the solubility in water but promote the solubility in nonpolar solvent. The light structure of the carbocyclic ring gives cyclohexane a low boiling point and melting point, thus they are commonly presented as colorless liquid.
Most cyclohexane goes into the production of intermediates for nylon, which has a variety of common applications such as clothing, tents and carpets as well as thermoplastics. Cyclohexane is also used as a solvent in chemical and industrial processes and recently has been substituted for benzene in many applications.
