Fuchsin

Description

A synthetic aniline dyestuff that is also called Magenta. Magenta was the second synthetic dye material to be produced from coal-tar derivatives. It was first noticed by Natanson in 1856. Then in 1859, Verguin patented a large scale production method for making magenta by oxidizing crude Aniline with Stannic chloride, a tanning solution. Magenta is a dark green water soluble powder that oxidizes to forms a deep red, light-sensitive dye. Fuchsin is used to color textiles and leather and to stain bacteria. Magenta was formerly used in watercolor paints but has since been replaced by colors with better lightfastness properties.

Synonyms and Related Terms

magenta; Basic Violet 14; CI 42510; fuchsina (Esp.); fuschine (Fr.); fucsina (Port.); p-fuchsin; basic fuchsin; rosaniline hydrochloride; rosaniline chloride

Chemical structure

Other Properties

Soluble in water, acetone and ethanol.

Composition	C20H20N3Cl
CAS	632-99-5
Melting Point	250
Density	1.22
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 337.85
Refractive Index	2.70

Hazards and Safety

Suspected carcinogen.

Mallinckrodt Baker: MSDS

Sources Checked for Data in Record

• R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966 Comment: 1856

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• Website address 1 Comment: http://www.smith.edu/hsc/silk/Papers/meredith.html - gives both 1856 to Natanson and 1859 to Verguin

• Thomas B. Brill, Light Its Interaction with Art and Antiquities, Plenum Press, New York City, 1980 Comment: 1859 by Verguin

• F. Crace-Calvert, Dyeing and Calico Printing, Palmer & Howe, London, 1876 Comment: p. 364: gives 1856 to Natanson and 1859 to Verguin (with patent

• A.Scharff, 'Synthetic dyestuffs for textiles and their fastness to washing', ICOM-CC Preprints Lyon, Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, 1999 Comment: 1856

• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980 Comment: ref. index=2.70

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998