Skip to content
orcinol
EntityQ412476· pop 15· linked from 75 articles

Also known as 3-Hydroxy-5-methylphenol, Orcin, 5-Methyl-1,3-dihydroxybenzene, 1,3-Dihydroxy-5-methylbenzene

Orcinol is an organic compound with the formula CH3C6H3(OH)2. It occurs in many species of lichens including Roccella tinctoria and Lecanora. Orcinol has been detected in the "toxic glue" of the ant species Camponotus saundersi. It is a colorless solid. It is related to resorcinol, 1,3-C6H4(OH)2.

~2 min read

Article

4 sections
Contents
  • Synthesis and reactions
  • Production from shale oil
  • See also
  • References

Orcinol is an organic compound with the formula CH3C6H3(OH)2. It occurs in many species of lichens including Roccella tinctoria and Lecanora. Orcinol has been detected in the "toxic glue" of the ant species Camponotus saundersi. It is a colorless solid. It is related to resorcinol, 1,3-C6H4(OH)2.

== Synthesis and reactions== Orcinol was first prepared by dehydroacetic acid, a conversion that involved ring-opening of the pyrone to a triketone. This early experiment helped establish the rich condensation chemistry of polyketides. It can be obtained by fusing extract of aloes with potash, followed by acidification.

Connections

Categories