para-anisidine
|pa-ra-a-ni-si-dine|
/ˌpærəˈænɪsɪdiːn/
para-substituted methoxyaniline (4-methoxyaniline)
Etymology
'para-anisidine' originates from modern chemical nomenclature, combining the prefix 'para-' (from Greek 'para' meaning 'beside' or indicating the 1,4-position on a benzene ring) and 'anisidine' (derived from 'anisole', ultimately from Latin 'anisum' and Greek 'ánison' meaning 'anise').
'anisidine' developed in 19th-century organic-chemistry vocabulary as a derivative name from 'anisole' (itself named after anise); the prefix 'para-' was added in systematic naming to specify the 4-position, producing the modern term 'para-anisidine'.
Initially names like 'anisole' and related terms referred broadly to compounds associated with anise; over time 'anisidine' and 'para-anisidine' acquired the precise modern meaning of specific methoxy-substituted aniline isomers (here, 4-methoxyaniline).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an aromatic amine (the p-isomer of anisidine), chemically 4-methoxyaniline; used as an intermediate in dye and chemical synthesis and as a reagent (e.g., in the p-anisidine value test) for detecting aldehydes and secondary oxidation products in fats and oils.
para-anisidine is commonly used to determine the p-anisidine value of edible oils.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/16 13:11