My watch list

Acridine orange

IUPAC name

N,N,N',N'-tetramethylacridine-
3,6-diamine

Other names

Euchrysine
3,6-Acridinediamine
Waxoline Orange A
Acridine Orange Base
Solvent Orange 15
Rhoduline Orange
Rhoduline Orange N
Acridine Orange NO
Rhoduline Orange NO
Basic Orange 14

Identifiers

CAS number

10127-02-3

PubChem

62344

RTECS number

AR7601000

SMILES

CN(C)C1=CC2=C(C=C1)C=C3C=CC(=CC3=N2)N(C)C

Properties

Molecular formula

C₁₇H₁₉N₃

Molar mass

265.35

Appearance

Orange powder

Hazards

EU classification

Error creating thumbnail: Xi Template:Hazchem N

NFPA 704

S-phrases

S26 S28 S37 S45

Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox disclaimer and references

Acridine orange is a nucleic acid selective fluorescent cationic dye useful for cell cycle determination. It is cell-permeable, and interacts with DNA and RNA by intercalation or electrostatic attractions. When bound to DNA, it is very similar spectrally to fluorescein, with an excitation maximum at 502 nm and an emission maximum at 525 nm (green). When it associates with RNA, the excitation maximum shifts to 460 nm (blue) and the emission maximum shifts to 650 nm (red). The dye is often used in epifluorescence microscopy.