1-Naphthol: Production and Uses

1-Naphthol is a fluorescent organic compound with the formula C10H7OH. It is a white solid. It has a role as a genotoxin and a human xenobiotic metabolite.

1-Naphthol is used to make dyes, intermediates, synthetic perfumes, agrochemicals, drugs, and rubber antioxidants. It is also used in organic synthesis, photography, hide tanning process, pyrotechnics for black smoke.

Production

One method, Naphthalene is nitrated to give 1-nitronaphthalene, which is hydrogenated to the amine followed by hydrolysis:

    C10H8 + HNO3 → C10H7NO2 + H2O

    C10H7NO2 + 3H2 → C10H7NH2 + 2H2O

    C10H7NH2 + H2O → C10H7OH + NH3 

Or, Naphthalene is hydrogenated to tetralin, which is oxidized to 1-tetralone, which undergoes dehydrogenation. 

Uses

1-Naphthol is used to make dyes, intermediates, synthetic perfumes, agrochemicals, drugs, and rubber antioxidants. It is also used in organic synthesis, photography, hide tanning process, pyrotechnics for black smoke.

What's more, 1-Naphthol is a precursor to a variety of insecticides including carbaryl and pharmaceuticals including nadolol as well as for the antidepressant sertraline and the anti-protozoan therapeutic atovaquone. It undergoes azo coupling to give various azo dyes, although these are usually less useful than those derived from 2-naphthol.