Safranine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Molecular structure of the Safranine cation

Safranines are the azonium compounds of symmetrical 2,8-dimethyl-3,7-diamino-phenazine. They are obtained by the joint oxidation of one molecule of a para-diamine with two molecules of a primary amine; by the condensation of para-aminoazo compounds with primary amines, and by the action of para-nitrosodialkylanilines with secondary bases such as diphenylmetaphenylenediamine. They are crystalline solids showing a characteristic green metallic luster; they are readily soluble in water and dye red or violet. They are strong bases and form stable monacid salts. Their alcoholic solution shows a yellow-red fluorescence. Phenosafranine is not very stable in the free state; its chloride forms green plates. It can be readily diazotized, and the diazonium salt when boiled with alcohol yields aposafranine or benzene induline, C₁₈H₁₂N₃. F. Kehrmann showed that aposafranine could be diazotized in the presence of cold concentrated sulfuric acid, and the diazonium salt on boiling with alcohol yielded phenylphenazonium salts. Aposafranone, C₁₈H₁₂N₂O, is formed by heating aposafranine with concentrated hydrochloric acid. These three compounds are perhaps to be represented as ortho- or as para-quinones. The "safranine" of commerce is a ortho-tolusafranine. The first aniline dye-stuff to be prepared on a manufacturing scale was mauveine, which was obtained by Sir W.H. Perkin by heating crude aniline with potassium bichromate and sulfuric acid. Mauveine was converted to parasafranine (1,8-dimethyl Safranine) by Perkin in 1879 by oxidative/reductive loss of the 7-N-para-tolyl group.

Safranine has recently been employed as the cationic component of a tecton used to build a porous anionic Hydrogen Bonded Network. See DOI: 10.1021/ja042233m

The InChI identifier is InChI=1/C20H18N4/c1-12-8-17-19(10-15(12)21)24(14-6-4-3-5-7-14)20-11-16(22)13(2)9-18(20)23-17/h3-11H,1-2H3,(H3,21,22)/p+1

Safranine is also widely used as a stain for staining microbial speciments for observation under a light microscope. See Safranin.