- Nitrophenols
Nitrophenols are a family of nitrated
phenol s with the formula HOC6H4NO2. Threeisomer ic nitrophenols exist:
* "o"-Nitrophenol (1-hydroxy-2-nitrobenzene; OH and NO2 groups are neighboring; CAS number: 88-75-5), a yellow crystalline solid (m.p. 46 °C).
* "m"-Nitrophenol (1-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzene), a yellow solid (m.p. 97 °C) and precursor to the drugaminosalicylic acid .
* "p"-Nitrophenol (1-hydroxy-4-nitrobenzene, CAS number: 100-02-7), yellow crystals (m.p. 114 °C). It is a precursor to therice herbicide fluorodifen and the pesticideparathion .The nitrophenols are produced industrially by the reaction of chlorides withsodium hydroxide at temperatures close to 200 C.Gerald Booth "Nitro Compounds, Aromatic" in "Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry" 2007; John Wiley & Sons: New York.]The mononitrated phenols are often hydrogenated to the corresponding aminophenols that are also useful industrially.
Di- and trinitrophenols
2,4-Dinitrophenol (m.p. 83 °C) is a moderately strong acid (pKa = 4.89). 2,4,6-trinitrophenol is better known as
picric acid , which has a well developed chemistry.afety
Nitrophenols are poisonous. Occasionally, nitrophenols contaminate the soil near former explosives or fabric factories and military plants, and current research is aimed at remediation.
References
External links
* [http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts50.html Fact sheet at atsdr.cdc.gov]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
