Orcinol is a chemical compound with the molecular formula C7H8O2. The spelling of this word follows the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) phonetic transcription rules, where the letter "O" represents the open-mid back rounded vowel /ɔ/, the letter "R" symbolizes continuant R /ɹ/, and the letter "C" denotes the alveolar fricative /s/. Lastly, the letter "I" is the vowel sound /ɪ/ and the letter "L" represents the lateral approximant /l/. Thus, the correct pronunciation of Orcinol is /ˈɔr.sɪ.nɔl/.
Orcinol is an organic compound that is classified as a dihydroxy benzene. It is a white crystalline solid with a distinctive odor resembling that of phenol. Also known as 1,3-dihydroxybenzene, it consists of a benzene ring with two hydroxyl groups (-OH) positioned at the meta positions. The chemical formula of orcinol is C7H8O2.
Orcinol is commonly used in various industries and scientific fields. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is utilized as a starting material for the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products. It serves as a building block in the synthesis of chemicals such as vitamins, hormones, and medicinal compounds.
In addition to its pharmaceutical applications, orcinol is widely employed in the field of analytical chemistry, specifically in the colorimetric determination of various substances. It acts as a reagent or indicator in chemical tests, producing characteristic color changes that aid in the qualitative or quantitative analysis of specific compounds.
Furthermore, orcinol finds significant usage in the chemistry of natural products. It occurs naturally in various lichens, especially species from the Roccellaceae family. Orcinol, along with other related compounds, contributes to the unique chemical composition of lichens and is involved in their ecological functions.
Overall, orcinol plays a significant role in pharmaceutical synthesis, analytical chemistry, and the study of natural products, making it a valuable compound across different fields of research and industry.
Orcin.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "orcinol" has its roots in organic chemistry. It is derived from the name of the compound "orcine", which was initially derived from the Latin word "orcinium" or "orcina". Orcinol refers to a crystalline organic compound with the chemical formula C7H8O2, which is a derivative of phenol. The term "orcinol" itself was coined in the early 20th century, combining the base name "orcine" with the suffix "-ol", indicating an alcohol or phenol derivative.