orpyridin4ol

4-Pyridinol, also known as 4-hydroxypyridine or orpyridin4ol, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C5H5NO. It is a derivative of pyridine, where a hydroxyl group is attached to the fourth position of the pyridine ring. At room temperature, 4-pyridinol is a solid.

This compound exists in tautomeric equilibrium with its keto form, pyridin-4(1H)-one. The equilibrium favors the pyridin-4(1H)-one form in most solvents and in the solid state. This tautomerism is a significant characteristic of 4-pyridinol and influences its chemical reactivity.

4-Pyridinol is soluble in water and polar organic solvents. It can act as both a weak acid and a weak base due to the presence of the hydroxyl group and the nitrogen atom in the pyridine ring. Its chemical properties make it a useful building block in organic synthesis.

Applications of 4-pyridinol and its derivatives can be found in the development of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and other specialty chemicals. The pyridine ring system is a common scaffold in biologically active molecules, and the hydroxyl group provides a site for further chemical modifications.