Resorcinol Formula

Resorcinol is an isomer of benzene diols. Resorcinol doesn’t occur naturally in its free state, instead it is found in the argan oil. Catechin is a molecule and it is another natural compound that is found present in tea, it consists of the resorcinol skeleton structure in it. Alkylresorcinols act as a marker of a whole-grain diet.

In this article, we will be discussing more on the resorcinol formula along with the resorcinol chemical structure and a few of its properties along with its uses.

IUPAC Name of Resorcinol

The IUPAC name of resorcinol is Benzene-1,3-diol. Resorcinol chemical formula is C6H4(OH)2.

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Structural Formula of Resorcinol

Properties of Resorcinol

• The molecular weight of resorcinol is 110.1 g/mol.

• The density of resorcinol is 1.28 g/cm³

• The boiling point of resorcinol is 277 °C.

• The melting point of resorcinol is 110 °C.

• It is available as a white solid.

• It is soluble in water.

Production of Resorcinol

Resorcinol can be produced by several steps from the benzene, starting with the process of dialkylation with propylene it gives 1,3-diisopropyl benzene as a product. By the further process of oxidation and Hock rearrangement of this di-substituted arene, the end product obtained will be acetone and resorcinol.

There are many other additional routes that exist for the production of resorcinol. It can be produced when a large number of resins namely galbanum and asafoetida are melted in the presence of potassium hydroxide, or by the process of distillation of Brazilwood extract. 

It may be synthetically prepared by melting the phenol-3-sulfonic acid, 3-iodophenol, or benzene-1,3-di-sulfonic acid. These are melted in the presence of potassium carbonate by the action of nitrous acid on 3-aminophenol or on 1,3-diaminobenzene. Many ortho-compounds and para-compounds of the aromatic series also yield on the resorcinol on fusion with potassium hydroxide.

Applications of Resorcinol

1. Medical: 

• It is found present at two percent or less concentration in topical acne treatments, and at higher concentrations in prescription treatments. Mono-acetyl-resorcinol whose chemical formula is C6H4(OH)(O-COCH3), is used under the name of euresol. Resorcinol acts as one of the active ingredients that are present in products such as Vagisil, Resinol, and Clearasil.

• Another form 4-Hexylresorcinol acts as an anesthetic that is found in throat lozenges.

2. Chemical: 

• Resorcinol can also be used chemically as an intermediate for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and some other organic compounds. It is used in the production of plasticizers, diazo dyes, and a UV absorber in resins.

• Resorcinol acts as an analytical reagent for the qualitative determination of ketoses which is also known as Seliwanoff's test.

• Resorcinol acts as the starting material for the resorcinarene molecules and for the initiating explosive lead styphnate.

• Resorcinol reacts with the chemical formaldehyde in order to form a thermoset resin that can be formed as the basis of an aerogel.