Guanidinklorid

Guanidinklorid, also known as guanidine hydrochloride, is an organic compound with the chemical formula CCl3N3. It is the hydrochloride salt of guanidine, a strong organic base. In its pure form, it is a white, crystalline solid. It is highly soluble in water and also soluble in polar organic solvents such as ethanol and methanol.

Guanidinklorid is widely used in biochemistry and molecular biology as a chaotropic agent. Chaotropic agents disrupt the structure of water, making it less polar and thereby weakening hydrophobic interactions. This property allows guanidinklorid to denature proteins, causing them to unfold from their native three-dimensional structures. This denaturation is often reversible, meaning that when the guanidinklorid is removed, the protein can refold to its original state. This reversible denaturation makes it a valuable tool for studying protein folding and stability.

Due to its protein-denaturing capabilities, guanidinklorid is employed in various laboratory procedures, including protein purification, solubilization of proteins, and in studies of protein structure-function relationships. It can also be used to extract nucleic acids from cells. In some industrial applications, it has found use as a flame retardant and in the synthesis of other chemical compounds. While generally considered safe for laboratory use, proper handling procedures should always be followed.