Properties of Styrene

Styrene is a colourless liquid, boiling point 145°C. On keeping, it slowly changes into a solid polymer known as meta styrene. The polymerisation is fast in sunlight or while treated with sodium. It depicts properties of benzene ring (Electrophilic substitution) and unsaturated side chain (Electrophilic addition). Though, the side chain double covalent bond is much more susceptible to electrophilic attack than benzene ring.

At lower temperature and pressure, it acts along with hydrogen to provide ethylbenzene and at higher temperature and pressure; it is transformed into ethyl cyclohexane.