Safranin

Safranin (also Safranin O or basic red 2) is a biological stain used in histology and cytology. Safranin is used as a counterstain in some staining protocols, colouring all cell nuclei red. This is the classic counterstain in a Gram stain. It can also be used for the detection of cartilage, mucin and mast cell granules.

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Safranin typically has the chemical structure shown at right (sometimes described as dimethyl safranin). There is also trimethyl safranin, which has an added methyl group in the ortho- position of the lower ring. Both compounds behave essentially identically in biological staining applications, and most manufacturers of safranin don't distinguish between the two. Commercial safranin preparations often contain a blend of both types.

Safranin also used as redox indicator in analytical chemistry.

Safranines

Safranines are the azonium compounds of symmetrical 2,8-dimethyl-3,7-diamino-phenazine. They are obtained by the joint oxidation of one molecule of a para-diamine with two molecules of a primary amine; by the condensation of para-aminoazo compounds with primary amines, and by the action of para-nitrosodialkylanilines with secondary bases such as diphenylmetaphenylenediamine. They are crystalline solids showing a characteristic green metallic luster; they are readily soluble in water and dye blue or violet. They are strong bases and form stable monacid salts. Their alcoholic solution shows a yellow-red fluorescence. Phenosafranine is not very stable in the free state; its chloride forms green plates. It can be readily diazotized, and the diazonium salt when boiled with alcohol yields aposafranine or benzene induline, C₁₈H₁₂N₃. F. Kehrmann showed that aposafranine could be diazotized in the presence of cold concentrated sulfuric acid, and the diazonium salt on boiling with alcohol yielded phenylphenazonium salts. Aposafranone, C₁₈H₁₂N₂O, is formed by heating aposafranine with concentrated hydrochloric acid. These three compounds are perhaps to be represented as ortho- or as para-quinones. The "safranine" of commerce is a ortho-tolusafranine. The first aniline dye-stuff to be prepared on a manufacturing scale was mauveine, which was obtained by Sir William Henry Perkin by heating crude aniline with potassium bichromate and sulfuric acid. Mauveine was converted to parasafranine (1,8-dimethyl Safranine) by Perkin in 1878 by oxidative/reductive loss of the 7-N-para-tolyl group.^[1]

References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

1. ^ W. H. Perkin F.R.S. (1879). "LXXIV.—On mauveine and allied colouring matters". J. Chem. Soc., Trans. 35: 717 - 732. doi:10.1039/CT8793500717.