Chrysene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) with the molecular formula that consists of four fused benzene rings. It is a natural constituent of coal tar, from which it was first isolated and characterized. It is also found in creosote at levels of 0.5–6 mg/kg.Anja Sörensen and Bodo Wichert "Asphalt and Bitumen" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2009. http://www.qrpoil.com/site/?bitumen
The name "chrysene" originates from Greek Χρύσoς (chrysos), meaning "gold", and is due to the golden-yellow color of the crystals of the hydrocarbon, thought to be the proper color of the compound at the time of its isolation and characterization. However, high purity chrysene is colorless, the yellow hue being due to the traces of its yellow-orange isomer tetracene, which cannot be separated easily.
Occurrence
Chrysene is a constituent of tobacco smoke.
Safety As with other PAHs, chrysene is suspected to be a human carcinogen. Some evidence suggests that it causes cancer in laboratory animals,TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS but chrysene is often contaminated with more strongly carcinogenic compounds. Chrysene is estimated to have about 1% of the toxicity of benzo(a)pyrene.Ian C.T. Nisbet, Peter K. LaGoy "Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)", Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 1992, Volume 16, Pages 290-300.
Derivatives Derivatives of chrysene include tetrahydrochrysene and 2,8-dihydroxyhexahydrochrysene, which are estrogenic compounds. The experimental cancer drug crisnatol is a derivative of chrysene.
See also Phenanthrene
References