Ninhydrin – C₉H₆O₄

2,2-dihydroxyindane-1,3-dione –  is a chemical used to detect ammonia or primary and secondary amines. When reacting with these free amines, a deep blue or purple color known as Ruhemann’s purple is produced. Ninhydrin is most commonly used to detect fingerprints, as the terminal amines of lysine residues in peptides and proteins sloughed off in fingerprints react with ninhydrin.  It is a pale yellow crystalline solid which is soluble in ethanol and acetone at room temperature.  Ninhydrin can be considered as the hydrate of indane-1,2,3-trione.

IUPAC Name:  2,2-Dihydroxy-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione

CAS # 485 – 47 – 2

Molar Mass: 178.143

Appearance:  Pale Yellow Crystalline Powder

Density: 0.862 g/cm³

Packing:  1 Kg, 5 Kgs, 25 Kgs Drums

Grades:  ACS/ AR

1,2,3-Indiantrionhydrate, 2,2-Dihydroxy-1,3-indandione Triketohydrindene hydrate, Dihydroxyhydrin-1,3-indandione

MOLECULAR FORMULA:                     C₉H₆O₄

STRUCTURAL FORMULA

MOLECULAR WEIGHT:                         178.14

DESCRIPTION:                                      PALE YELLOW CRYSTALLINE POWDER

SOLUBILITY:                                         0.10 Gms IN 10 ML WATER

MELTING POINT:                                 Not less than 250⁰ C

SULFATED ASH:                                   0.10 % MAX.

pH:                                                          4.5 ~ 5.5

PURITY:                                                  99.0 % MIN.