aniline
/ˈanɪliːn
/ /ˈanɪlɪn/noun [mass noun] Chemistry
A colourless oily liquid present in coal tar. It is used in the manufacture of dyes, drugs, and plastics, and was the basis of the earliest synthetic dyes.
- Chemical formula: C6H5NH2.
- Other uses of aniline include the manufacture of rubber processing chemicals and the production of agrochemicals and dyestuffs.
- He cited examples of two key raw materials namely phenol and aniline, which are required to manufacture leather chemicals, pigments, dyestuff and rubber chemicals.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from anil 'indigo' (from which it was originally obtained), via French and Portuguese from Arabic an-nīl (from Sanskrit nīlī, from nīla 'dark blue').