The extraction of benzene for commercial purposes dates from 1849 the benzene being derived from coal. Today, however, approximately 90% of benzene is derived from the distillation of petroleum by various processes, such as fractional distillation or catalytic cracking.
Son extraction a des fins commerciales s'est developpee en 1849 a partir du charbon, mais aujourd'hui environ 90 % de la production de benzene provient de la distillation du petrole par differents procedes, tels que la distillation fractionnee ou le processus catalytique.