Summary. Cyclohexanone (CAS 108-94-1) is a cyclic ketone solvent. Cyclohexane (CAS 110-82-7) is a hydrocarbon. Cyclohexanol is the related alcohol. The names differ by a few letters, but the chemicals have different hazards, uses and paperwork. Before ordering, match the CAS number, the HSN code and the UN number on the quote to what you actually need. SPC supplies Industrial Grade cyclohexanone (Min 99.5 %) and, as a separate product, Solvent Grade cyclohexane. Cyclohexanol is not an SPC product; it appears only as a controlled trace impurity in our cyclohexanone specification.
Why the three names get mixed up
All three chemicals are built on the same six-carbon ring. Cyclohexane is the plain ring of carbon and hydrogen. Put an alcohol group on it and you have cyclohexanol. Convert that alcohol position to a ketone and you have cyclohexanone. In an enquiry, a missing letter or a loosely worded phrase such as cyclo hexa solvent can point to any of the three, and the three are not interchangeable.
Supreme Petro Chemicals is a Chennai importer and bulk distributor, not a manufacturer. We list cyclohexanone and cyclohexane as separate products, which is why we see this confusion in enquiries. The general chemistry below is textbook knowledge and is labelled as such. Everything about SPC grades, limits and documents comes from our technical data sheets and safety data sheets.
The three chemicals side by side
| Item | Cyclohexanone | Cyclohexane | Cyclohexanol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical type | Cyclic ketone | Saturated cyclic hydrocarbon | Cyclic alcohol |
| Formula (general knowledge) | C6H10O | C6H12 | C6H12O |
| CAS number | 108-94-1 | 110-82-7 | 108-93-0 (general knowledge) |
| SPC product | Industrial Grade, Min 99.5 % | Solvent Grade (caprolactam route), 98.0 % mass min | Not supplied as a product |
| UN number and class | UN 1915, Class 3, PG III | UN 1145, Class 3 | Not applicable |
Cyclohexanone: the ketone solvent
Cyclohexanone is a strong solvent for resins, vinyls and cellulosic polymers. On our site its listed uses are PVC solvent and cement, paints, coatings and lacquers, printing and screen inks, adhesives, resins and cellulosics, and emulsifiable-concentrate co-solvent work. At chemical plants it is also the usual precursor to caprolactam for nylon-6 and to adipic acid for nylon-6,6 (general knowledge).
What the SPC specification says
Our technical data sheet SPC-TDS-KET-004 gives purity Min 99.5 %, water Max 0.1 %, colour Max 15 APHA, acidity as acetic acid Max 0.01 %, density at 20 °C of 0.946 to 0.948 g/cm3 and initial boiling point Min 153 °C. The limits are the envelope that our two source makers, GSFC and Taiwan Prosperity Chemical Corporation, both meet. It is a technical grade, not food, pharma or laboratory reagent grade.
Hazards
The safety data sheet (Rev 3.1) classifies cyclohexanone as Flam. Liq. 3, Acute Tox. 4 (oral, dermal, inhalation), Skin Irrit. 2 and Eye Dam. 1, signal word DANGER, with statements H226, H302, H312, H315, H318 and H332. The flash point is about 44 °C closed cup. The eye damage statement (H318) is the one to plan around: splash protection is not optional.
Cyclohexane: the hydrocarbon
Cyclohexane is a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent. It has no ketone or alcohol group, so its solvency is that of a hydrocarbon, not that of a ketone. It does not do the job cyclohexanone does in a PVC cement or a ketone-based ink. SPC lists it separately as Cyclo Hexane, Solvent Grade (caprolactam route), purity 98.0 % mass min, packed in 200 L or 160 kg mild steel drums and bulk road tanker, UN 1145, Class 3.
Cyclohexane is generally regarded as more volatile and more readily ignitable than cyclohexanone (general knowledge; compare the flash points in each product's own SDS rather than relying on this sentence). Do not assume the two have the same storage margins, and read the correct SDS for the substance you are actually buying.
Cyclohexanol and KA oil: where the alcohol fits
Cyclohexanol is the alcohol of the family. In the nylon chain, cyclohexane is oxidised to a mixture of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, often called KA oil (ketone-alcohol oil), which is then processed further (general knowledge). That shared origin is why cyclohexanol shows up as a trace impurity in cyclohexanone. In our specification it is controlled: cyclohexanol Max 1000 ppm on TDS SPC-TDS-KET-004. If your process is sensitive to it, ask for a tighter requirement in the enquiry and we will check it against the batch documents.
Hazards and transport compared
| Point | Cyclohexanone | Cyclohexane |
|---|---|---|
| Transport entry | UN 1915, Class 3, Packing Group III | UN 1145, Class 3 |
| Main health hazards | Harmful by mouth, skin and inhalation; skin irritant; serious eye damage | See the cyclohexane SDS |
| Packs we quote | 180 kg MS drums; bulk tanker | 200 L / 160 kg MS drums; bulk road tanker |
| Document code | TDS SPC-TDS-KET-004 | Cyclohexane TDS on its product page |
Both are flammable liquids and both ship in steel packs, but they are different substances with different SDS documents. Always hand the correct SDS to the people who will handle the drums.
Which one do you need, by application?
Start from what the material has to do in your process, not from the name on an old purchase order.
- PVC cement, vinyl ink or lacquer, where you need a strong dissolving ketone: cyclohexanone is the product that matches this duty on our list.
- A non-polar hydrocarbon diluent or extraction medium: that is the cyclohexane role. It will not dissolve resins the way a ketone does (general knowledge).
- A feed for a nylon intermediate: the nylon chain uses the ring compounds in sequence, so state the exact stage and CAS number you need rather than a family name.
- A cyclohexanol requirement: we do not supply it as a product, so we cannot quote it. We will tell you so rather than substitute another material.
If you are unsure, send us the end use and the CAS number printed on your current specification, and we will say which of our listed products, if any, corresponds to it.
A mix-up checklist before you order
- Check the CAS number. Cyclohexanone is 108-94-1; cyclohexane is 110-82-7. If the quote shows the wrong one, stop.
- Check the UN number. UN 1915 means cyclohexanone; UN 1145 means cyclohexane.
- Check what the process needs. A ketone solvent for PVC cement or ink is cyclohexanone. A hydrocarbon diluent is not a substitute.
- Check the grade. Both SPC products are technical grades. Neither is food, pharma or laboratory reagent grade.
- Ask for the documents. The TDS, the SDS and a batch Certificate of Analysis (supplied with every delivery) should all name the same substance.
Common ordering mistakes
- Ordering by a shortened name such as cyclo solvent, which matches more than one product.
- Copying a CAS number from an old file without checking that it is the chemical you meant.
- Assuming a hydrocarbon and a ketone can swap places because they share a ring.
- Handing the wrong SDS to the warehouse team, so that eye-protection and ignition-control steps are based on the wrong substance.
- Skipping the batch Certificate of Analysis check on arrival.
How to enquire
Send the product name and CAS number, the grade, the quantity, the pack (drum or tanker), your delivery location and the end use. We do not publish prices; we quote within 4 working hours. For the cyclohexanone specification, packing and documents, see the cyclohexanone product page; for the hydrocarbon, see the cyclohexane product page. If you are choosing between ketones, our MEK vs MIBK vs acetone guide covers the open-chain ketones.
Sources. Cyclohexanone: TDS SPC-TDS-KET-004 (scripts/tds-data/cyclo-hexanone.json) and SDS Rev 3.1 (cyclohexanone.sds.json, sections 1, 2, 9 and 14). Cyclohexane packs, purity, UN and HSN: src/data/productSpecs.ts, cyclo-hexane entry (unNumber, hsCode, packaging, grades, purity). Formulas, the cyclohexanol CAS, the KA oil route and relative volatility are general knowledge, not SPC specifications; see each product's SDS for its own figures.