Turpentine

Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthine, terebenthene, terebinthine and, colloquially, turps) is a fluid obtainable by the <a href="/facts/Distillation/plDvUMxn">distillation</a> of <a href="/facts/Resin/r1uVThQ8">resin</a> harvested from living trees, mainly <a href="/facts/Pine/HvMa9uc1">pines</a>. Principally used as a specialized <a href="/facts/Solvent/LoMPMz8S">solvent</a>, it is also a source of material for <a href="/facts/Organic_synthesis/aprl6Iq7">organic syntheses</a>.
Turpentine is composed of <a href="/facts/Terpene/hDD4zF6P">terpenes</a>, primarily the monoterpenes <a href="/facts/Alpha-Pinene/l9Epte63">alpha-</a> and <a href="/facts/Beta-Pinene/3JDpzqP9">beta-pinene</a>, with lesser amounts of <a href="/facts/Carene/lHeX1kvN">carene</a>, <a href="/facts/Camphene/6e08ywdC">camphene</a>, <a href="/facts/Limonene/8qBaxvyv">limonene</a>, and <a href="/facts/Terpinolene/pwd4EfA1">terpinolene</a>. Nowadays, turpentine is rarely the product of distillation of pine rosin, but is a byproduct of pulping. Pulping is achieved by two processes, the <a href="/facts/Kraft_process/bJAAtnlT">Kraft process</a> and the <a href="/facts/Sulfite_process/edJVxor2">sulfite process</a>. The turpentines obtained from these two processes differ in their chemical compositions. The sulfite process gives a product that is rich in <a href="/facts/Cymene/6Rxk74DE">cymene</a>, whereas the Kraft process gives a pinene-rich product.
Substitutes include <a href="/facts/White_spirit/qDgcURve">white spirit</a> or other <a href="/facts/Petroleum/IQV0bHVd">petroleum</a> distillates, although the constituent chemicals are very different.

Turpentine open-in-new

Turpentine