2707.30.00 - Xylenes

This HTS category, 2707.30.00, specifically classifies Xylenes. Xylenes are aromatic hydrocarbons commonly derived from the distillation of coal tar or petroleum. They are characterized by their benzene ring structure with two methyl groups attached. Xylenes are widely used as solvents in various industries, including paint, ink, and rubber production, and as a feedstock in the petrochemical industry for the synthesis of plastics and other chemicals.

Distinguishing this category from its siblings, Benzene (2707.20.00.00) and Toluene (2707.10.00.00), is based on the specific arrangement and number of methyl groups on the benzene ring. Benzene has no methyl groups, while toluene has one. Xylenes, by definition, possess two methyl groups, and the differentiation amongst them leads to further subclassification. Naphthalene (2707.40.00.00) is a bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, distinct from the monocyclic structure of xylenes. Category 2707.50.00.00 covers complex aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures meeting specific distillation criteria, which is broader than the individually identified xylenes.

The subcategories within 2707.30.00 allow for precise classification based on the positional isomerism of the two methyl groups on the benzene ring. This includes m-Xylene (meta-xylene), o-Xylene (ortho-xylene), and p-Xylene (para-xylene), each with a unique spatial arrangement of the methyl substituents. An "Other" category exists for xylenes or xylene mixtures that do not specifically fall under the individual isomer classifications, ensuring comprehensive coverage within this product group.