1-Naphthol, or α-naphthol, is a colorless crystalline solid with the formula C₁₀H₇OH. It is an isomer

Isomer

In chemistry, isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas. Isomers do not necessarily share similar properties, unless they also have the same functional groups. There are many different classes of isomers, like stereoisomers, enantiomers, geometrical...

 of 2-naphthol

2-Naphthol

2-Naphthol, or β-naphthol, is a colorless crystalline solid with the formula C10H7OH. It is an isomer of 1-naphthol, differing by the location of the hydroxyl group on naphthalene. The naphthols are naphthalene homologues of phenol, with the hydroxyl group being more reactive than in the phenols....

 differing by the location of the hydroxyl group

Hydroxide

Hydroxide is a diatomic anion with chemical formula OH−. It consists of an oxygen and a hydrogen atom held together by a covalent bond, and carrying a negative electric charge. It is an important but usually minor constituent of water. It functions as a base, as a ligand, a nucleophile, and a...

 on naphthalene

Naphthalene

Naphthalene is an organic compound with formula . It is a white crystalline solid with a characteristic odor that is detectable at concentrations as low as 0.08 ppm by mass. As an aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene's structure consists of a fused pair of benzene rings...

. The naphthols are naphthalene homologues of phenol

Phenol

Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, phenic acid, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5OH. It is a white crystalline solid. The molecule consists of a phenyl , bonded to a hydroxyl group. It is produced on a large scale as a precursor to many materials and useful compounds...

, with the hydroxyl group being more reactive than in the phenols. Both isomers are soluble in simple alcohol

Alcohol

In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....

s, ether

Ether

Ethers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group — an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups — of general formula R–O–R'. A typical example is the solvent and anesthetic diethyl ether, commonly referred to simply as "ether"...

s, and chloroform

Chloroform

Chloroform is an organic compound with formula CHCl3. It is one of the four chloromethanes. The colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid is a trihalomethane, and is considered somewhat hazardous...

. They can be used in the production of dye

Dye

A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....

s and in organic synthesis.

1-Naphthol is a metabolite of the insecticide carbaryl

Carbaryl

Carbaryl is a chemical in the carbamate family used chiefly as an insecticide. It is a white crystalline solid commonly sold under the brand name Sevin, a trademark of the Bayer Company. Union Carbide discovered carbaryl and introduced it commercially in 1958...

 and naphthalene

Naphthalene

Naphthalene is an organic compound with formula . It is a white crystalline solid with a characteristic odor that is detectable at concentrations as low as 0.08 ppm by mass. As an aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene's structure consists of a fused pair of benzene rings...

. Along with TCPy

TCPy

TCPy or 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol is a metabolite of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, both organophosphate insecticides. A study in Massachusetts reported a correlation between exposure to TCPy and lower testosterone levels in men. According to this source, exposure is "widespread" and of...

, it has been shown to decrease testosterone levels in adult men.

1-Naphthol can be produced by fusion of 1-naphthylsulfonic acid with sodium hydroxide.

External links

• NIST Chemistry WebBook 1-Naphthalenol