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triphenylmethane

chemical compound

Quick Summary

Triphenylmethane is a crystalline hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH(C6H5)3. It serves as the foundational compound for a significant class of synthetic dyes known as triphenylmethane dyes.12

The development of these dyes began in the mid-19th century with the discovery of fuchsine, the first triphenylmethane dye, by Fran\u00e7ois-Emmanuel Verguin. These synthetic dyes played a crucial role in the growth of the chemical industry. The chemical structures of triphenylmethane dyes were later elucidated by Emil Fischer, who determined that the central carbon atom is bonded to three aryl groups. Triphenylmethane can also form a radical known as triphenylmethyl, which was historically significant as the first isolated organic free radical.23

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