246trinitrophenyl

246trinitrophenyl, also known as picryl, is a chemical group derived from 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). It is characterized by a benzene ring substituted with three nitro groups at the 2, 4, and 6 positions. This arrangement of nitro groups makes the picryl group highly electron-withdrawing.

The picryl group is often found attached to other molecules, forming picryl derivatives. These derivatives can exhibit a range of chemical properties depending on the nature of the attached group. For instance, picryl chloride is a reactive compound that readily undergoes nucleophilic substitution reactions. Picric acid, a related compound where the picryl group is attached to a hydroxyl group, is a yellow crystalline solid that is a strong acid.

Picryl derivatives have found applications in various fields. Picric acid, historically, was used as a dye and an antiseptic. It also served as a component in some explosives, though its sensitivity and tendency to form explosive metal salts limited its widespread use compared to other explosives. In organic chemistry, picryl compounds are sometimes used as derivatizing agents to help identify or characterize amines and other nucleophilic compounds through the formation of crystalline derivatives with distinct melting points. The electron-withdrawing nature of the picryl group can also influence the reactivity of adjacent functional groups.