Benzophenone is a combustible, white, crystalline solid with a rose-like odor. soluble in ethanol, ether, chloroform and other organic solvents and monomers, insoluble in water. It is a free radical photoinitiator, mainly used in free radical UV curing systems, such as coatings, inks, adhesives, etc. It can be prepared in several ways, for example, by Friedel–Crafts reaction of benzene and benzoyl chloride with aluminum chloride, or of benzene and carbon tetrachloride, and oxidation of diphenylmethane.
