Fenilindol

Indole, benzopyrrole, is a yellow crystalline powder with unpleasant aroma. It has the pyrrole ring (five-membered unsaturated ring structure composed of four carbon atoms and one nitrogen atom) which is fused to benzene ring. There are tautomerer called indolenine (unsubstituted 3H-indole) and structural isomer, isoindole. But they are unstable. Indole occurs in some plants or in coal tar, and is formed in the intestine during putrefaction and by certain cultures of bacteria. it is commercially synthesized from phenylhydrazine and pyruvic acid. Indole structure is a motif in nature. Prominent examples include tryptophan (aromatic side chain amino acid), serotonin (neurotransmitter), auxin (plant growth hormone), and indigo (plant colorant). One more interesting point is all these compounds have functional branches at 3 position. Indole is used in perfumery and in preparing tryptophan, one of the 20 amino acids commonly found in animal proteins. It has important application in the industry of plant growth. It is used to prepare indoleacetic acid (auxin) and other plant growth substances which help the development of roots in plant. It is used to make selective herbicides. Indole and its derivatives are widely used in making perfumes, dyes and agrochemicals as well as in biologically active ingredients and clinical diagnostics.

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