Anthranilic acids are a class of organic compounds used in the pharmaceutical industry. The spelling of "Anthranilic Acids" is pronounced /ænˈθrænɪlɪk ˈæsədz/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable, "anth," is pronounced with a short "a" sound /æn/ and the second part, "ranilic," is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable and a long "i" sound /ˈrænɪlɪk/. The last part, "acids," is pronounced /ˈæsədz/ with the stress on the first syllable and a soft "c" sound.
Anthranilic acids, also known as benzene-1,2-dicarboxylic acids, are a group of organic compounds characterized by their chemical structure. They consist of a benzene ring with two carboxylic acid groups (-COOH) attached at the 1 and 2 positions. The general formula for anthranilic acids is C6H4(COOH)2.
Anthranilic acids can exist in various isomeric forms depending on the position of the carboxylic acid groups on the benzene ring. The ortho-isomer has the carboxylic acid groups attached at the adjacent positions, while the meta-isomer has them attached at non-adjacent positions. The para-isomer has the carboxylic acid groups attached at opposite ends of the benzene ring.
These compounds are commonly used as intermediates in the synthesis of various pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, dyes, and polymers. They have versatile chemical properties, allowing them to undergo various reactions such as esterification, amidation, and condensation with other reagents. Anthranilic acids serve as important building blocks in organic synthesis due to the potential for modifications at both the carboxylic acid groups and the benzene ring.
In addition to their synthetic applications, anthranilic acids also possess biological activity. Some derivatives of anthranilic acids have been found to exhibit anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties. They have also been studied for their potential role in enzyme inhibition and as ligands for metal coordination complexes.
Overall, anthranilic acids are a class of organic compounds with a wide range of applications in both synthetic and biological fields due to their unique chemical structure and versatility.
The word "anthranilic" is derived from the combination of two components: "anthra-" and "-nilic".
- "Anthra-" is derived from the word "anthracene", which refers to a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compound. It is derived from the Greek word "anthrax" meaning "coal" or "carbonized coal", as anthracene can be obtained from coal tar.
- "-Nilic" refers to the suffix "-nilic acid", which is used in organic chemistry to denote a compound with a carboxylic acid group attached to a nitrogen atom. The use of this suffix indicates that anthranilic acid is an organic compound containing both a carboxylic acid group and a nitrogen atom in its structure.