Aniline yellow

Mi'kmaq basket
1973.161

Description

Aniline Yellow dye on wool after exposure to 85 Mlx-h
Credit: E. Hagan et al.

A yellow amorphous colorant that was the first azo dye. Aniline yellow was discovered in Charles Mène in 1861. It that dyes wool and silk a deep yellow color, but poor lightfastness. Aniline yellow has been used for used in microscopy, pyrotechnics, as well as pigments and inks. It is also used in insecticides, lacquers, varnishes, waxes, oil stains, and styrene resins.

Synonyms and Related Terms

4-(Phenyldiazenyl)aniline; CI 11000; CAS 60-09-3; yellow magenta;

Risk

• Highly toxic
• Suspected carcinogen

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Soluble in ethanol, ether and benzene.
• Slightly soluble in boiling water.
• Composition = C12H11N3
• Density = 1.19 g/mol
• Melting pt = 123-126 C

Resources and Citations

• D. Tamburini, F. Sabatini, S. Berbers, M.R. van Bommel, I. Degano, 'An Introduction and Recent Advances in the Analytical Study of Early Synthetic Dyes and Organic Pigments in Cultural Heritage', Heritage 7(4) 2024. link
• Wikipedia: Aniline Yellow Accessed May 2026
• F. Crace-Calvert, Dyeing and Calico Printing, Palmer & Howe, London, 1876
• E. Hagan, I. Castro-Soto, M. Breault, et al. The lightfastness of early synthetic organic dyes. Herit Sci 10, 50 (2022).