Cumene Price — China Factory EXW 2026

Cumene price Spec: China national standards

China EXW, VAT excluded

Newest China EXW USD 809.73 / MT · VAT excluded -48.6726 (-6.00%) as of 20210320

Newest Price 809.73

Price Date 20210320

Day's Change -48.67

Day's Range 809.73 - 761.06

Month's Change -685.84

Month's Range 809.73 - 123.89

Year's Change +703.54

Year's Range 809.73 - 106.19

For cumene specifically, this oversupply translates into compressed margins along the entire chain. Cumene producers integrated with phenol-acetone face the same squeeze, but merch...

Also known as (1-methylethyl)-benzen, (1-methylethyl)benzene (cumene), (Methylethyl)benzene, 2-Fenilpropano

Opinions

How is the global phenol-acetone oversupply affecting cumene producers?

For cumene specifically, this oversupply translates into compressed margins along the entire chain. Cumene producers integrated with phenol-acetone face the same squeeze, but merchant cumene sellers are hit harder because phenol plants can run on captive cumene and reduce external purchases. In China, new integrated projects like Wanhua's and Sinochem's will likely displace some merchant cumene demand. Traders should watch for discounted cumene cargoes from these new sites as they balance their own phenol operations.

What are the key production routes for cumene and their commercial implications?

One technical point worth noting: the alkylation step produces mostly isopropylbenzene rather than n-propylbenzene because the primary carbocation rearranges to a secondary one under acid catalysis. This is why commercial cumene is essentially pure isopropylbenzene. For buyers, purity matters for downstream oxidation efficiency. Also, the solid phosphoric acid catalyst is being gradually replaced by zeolite-based systems in newer plants, offering higher yields and fewer byproducts, which slightly improves the cost position of modern integrated producers.

Cumene price context

What drives Cumene prices

How is the global phenol-acetone oversupply affecting cumene producers?: For cumene specifically, this oversupply translates into compressed margins along the entire chain. Cumene producers integrated with phenol-acetone face the sam...

What are the key production routes for cumene and their commercial implications?: One technical point worth noting: the alkylation step produces mostly isopropylbenzene rather than n-propylbenzene because the primary carbocation rearranges to...

How we assess Cumene price

China factory / mainstream market EXW quotes (VAT excluded where shown) - not a single global public index

Regional and specification detail so buyers can compare like-for-like grades

Landed cost figures from our calculator are planning estimates, not a customs ruling

Overview

Cumene (isopropylbenzene, CAS 98-82-8) is a colorless liquid with a characteristic aromatic odor, insoluble in water but miscible with most organic solvents. It is a key intermediate in the industrial production of phenol and acetone via the cumene oxidation-rearrangement process.

Chemical synthesis: primary feedstock for phenol and acetone through the cumene hydroperoxide route, a classic reaction involving both radical and ionic mechanisms.
Solvent: used as a solvent or diluent for paints, nitrocellulose lacquers, and various resins, including natural, vinyl, acrylic, and styrene-based types.
Oxidation chemistry: the tertiary benzylic C–H bond is readily oxidized in air to form cumene hydroperoxide, which can also serve as an oxidizing agent.
Other applications: employed in the fragrance industry and as a raw material for producing other derivatives.

China's production is dominated by the zeolite-catalyzed alkylation of benzene with propylene, using both gas-phase and liquid-phase technologies. The market is closely tied to downstream phenol/acetone capacity, with recent expansions in integrated complexes, particularly in the South China region, influencing regional supply balances.

Key domestic producers:
Wanhua Chemical – integrated producer with cumene, phenol/acetone, and bisphenol A capacity.
Zhongxin Chemical – expanding phenol/acetone capacity in the Daya Bay zone.

Properties

Name

Cumene

(1-methylethyl)-benzen

(1-methylethyl)benzene (cumene)

(Methylethyl)benzene

2-Fenilpropano

CAS Number

98-82-8

EINECS No.

202-704-5

Risk Codes

S24;S37;S61;S62;S45;S36/37;S16

Safety Description

R10;R37;R51/53;R65;R39/23/24/25;R23/24/25;R11

HS Code

2902700000

Cookie Preferences

Essential Cookies

Analytics Cookies

ChemPriceHub

Cumene price Spec: China national standards

Recent market notes

Northwest Europe Pure Benzene Market Overview

Analysis of the Growth Rate of Effective Acetone Capacity in China, 2021–2026