pyrocatechuic

Pyrocatechuic is an adjective encountered in chemical literature that refers broadly to substances associated with catechol-based chemistry, particularly derivatives related to the catechu or pyrocatechuic acid family. The term is historical and not part of a fixed modern nomenclature. In older texts, pyrocatechuic described phenolic acids and related compounds derived from catechu or catechol motifs, often without specifying a precise structure. Because 'pyrocatechuic' has never had a single agreed-upon chemical definition in modern nomenclature, its exact identity can vary between sources and eras.

In practice, readers encountering the term should consult the primary source to determine the intended compound, since many researchers now prefer explicit names such as the specific dihydroxybenzoic, dihydroxyphenyl, or catechol-derived acids. Pyrocatechuic terminology is more commonly found in discussions of natural products, plant extracts, or historical dye and tannin chemistry, where catechu-based materials were studied extensively. In contemporary databases and journals, the use of 'pyrocatechuic' is rare, and precise chemical identifiers are used to prevent ambiguity.

See also: catechol, catechu, protocatechuic acid, pyrocatechol, tannins.