Phloroglucinol is an

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...

with the formula C₆H₃(OH)₃. It is a colorless solid. It is used in the synthesis of

pharmaceutical A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and re ...

s and explosives. Phloroglucinol is one of three isomeric

benzenetriol The trihydroxybenzenes (or benzenetriols) are organic compounds with the formula C6H3(OH)3. Also classified as polyphenols, they feature three hydroxyl groups substituted onto a benzene ring. They are white solids with modest solubility in water. ...

s. The other two isomers are

hydroxyquinol Hydroxyquinol is an organic compound with the formula C6H3(OH)3. It is one of three isomeric benzenetriols. The compound is a colorless solid that is soluble in water. It reacts with air to give a black insoluble solid. Production It is prepar ...

(1,2,4-benzenetriol) and

pyrogallol Pyrogallol is an organic compound with the formula C6H3(OH)3. It is a water-soluble, white solid although samples are typically brownish because of its sensitivity toward oxygen. It is one of three isomers of benzenetriols. Production and reac ...

(1,2,3-benzenetriol). Phloroglucinol, and its benzenetriol isomers, are still defined as "

phenol Phenol (also called carbolic acid) is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile. The molecule consists of a phenyl group () bonded to a hydroxy group (). Mildly acidic, it req ...

s" according to the

IUPAC The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC ) is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations working for the advancement of the chemical sciences, especially by developing nomenclature and terminology. It is ...

official nomenclature rules of chemical compounds. Many such monophenolics are often termed "

polyphenol Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some o ...

s" by the cosmetic and parapharmaceutical industries, which does not match the scientifically accepted definition.

Synthesis and occurrence

In 1855, phloroglucinol was first prepared from

phloretin Phloretin is a dihydrochalcone, a type of natural phenol. It can be found in apple tree leaves and the Manchurian apricot. Metabolism In rats, ingested phlorizin is converted into phloretin by hydrolytic enzymes in the small intestine. Ph ...

by the Austrian chemist

Heinrich Hlasiwetz Heinrich Hlasiwetz (7 April 1825 – 7 October 1875) was an Austrian chemist born in Reichenberg, Bohemia. Son of a pharmacist, he studied at the University of Jena, where his instructors included Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner (1780-1849), H ...

(1825–1875). A modern synthesis of involves hydrolysis of benzene-1,3,5-triamine and its derivatives. Representative is the following route from

trinitrobenzene Trinitrobenzene may refer to: * 1,2,3-Trinitrobenzene * * 1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene {{Short pages monitor