Divinylbenzene (DVB) consists of a
benzene ring
bonded to two
vinyl groups. It is related to
styrene (vinylbenzene) by the addition of a second vinyl group. Divinylbenzene, as it is usually encountered, is a 2:1 mixture of m- and p-divinylbenzene, containing also the corresponding ethylvinylbenzene isomers. It is manufactured by the thermal
dehydrogenation of isomeric diethylbenzenes. Under synthesis conditions, o-divinylbenzene converts to
naphthalene and thus is not a component of the usual mixtures of DVB.