picric acid
Definition
- Noun:
- A yellow, toxic, highly explosive strong acid. It is used in high explosives, as a dye, and in chemical reactions.
Usage
- Noun:
- Picric acid must be handled with extreme care due to its explosive nature.
- The laboratory uses picric acid in specific synthesis reactions.
- Historically, picric acid was employed as a yellow dye for textiles.
Examples
- Noun:
- The synthesis required the controlled addition of picric acid.
- Safety protocols for storing picric acid are very stringent.
- The compound forms bright yellow crystals of picric acid.
Advanced Usage
- Chemical Context: In chemistry, is systematically named 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP). It is a phenol derivative.
- Picric acid can form unstable salts, known as picrates, with many metals, which are also highly explosive.
- Historical Context: It was once a primary explosive in munitions, like in artillery shells, before being replaced by safer compounds.
- Picric acid saw use as an antiseptic in medicine, though this practice is now obsolete due to its toxicity.
Variants and Related Words
- Picrate (noun): A salt or ester of picric acid.
- Example: Potassium picrate is a sensitive explosive compound.
- Trinitrophenol (noun): The systematic IUPAC name for picric acid.
Synonyms
- 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol (TNP): The formal chemical name.
- Carbazotic Acid: An obsolete synonym.
Notes on Usage
- CRITICAL SAFETY NOTE: is a primary high explosive, especially when dry or in crystalline form. It is shock-sensitive and friction-sensitive. It is also toxic, posing health risks through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. This word almost exclusively appears in technical, historical, or safety contexts related to chemistry, explosives, or dyes.
Noun
-
a yellow toxic highly explosive strong acid; used in high explosives and as a dye and in chemical reactions
