petroleum naphtha

Petroleum naphtha is a volatile, flammable liquid mixture of hydrocarbons. Historically, it referred to volatile petroleum from regions like Baku. In modern usage, especially in the United States, it specifically denotes a petroleum distillate that boils higher than gasoline but lower than kerosene.1

Naphtha is primarily used as a solvent, a diluent, and a crucial raw material for producing gasoline. The term "naphtha" has ancient origins, mentioned by writers like Dioscorides and Pliny the Elder, and was used by alchemists to describe various low-boiling-point liquids. It's important to distinguish petroleum naphtha from naphthalene, which is a different chemical compound (C₁₀H₈) derived from coal tar or petroleum cracking, known for its use in dyes and as a moth repellent.12