anthanthrene
Sign in to saveAlso known as dibenzo[cd,jk]pyrene
Anthanthrene (dibenzo[def,mno]chrysene) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) primarily formed during the incomplete combustion of organic materials such as fossil fuels, wood, and tobacco. It is a golden-yellow, odorless solid, and is often released as solid particulate matter attached to soot or aerosols. Unlike other PAH molecules, it lacks a "bay region", a structural pocket that increases reactivity of the molecule. Due to its high lipophilicity, anthanthrene has low water-solubility, and tends to accumulate in lipid-rich environments.
~10 min read
Encyclopedic overview
12 sectionsContents
- Structure and reactivity
- Exposure
- Environmental effects
- Biotransformation
- Pathway I
- Pathway II
- Pathway III
- Molecular mechanism of action
- Anthanthrene 4,5-epoxide
- 3-Hydroxyanthanthrene
- Degradation
- References
Anthanthrene (dibenzo[def,mno]chrysene) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) primarily formed during the incomplete combustion of organic materials such as fossil fuels, wood, and tobacco. It is a golden-yellow, odorless solid, and is often released as solid particulate matter attached to soot or aerosols. Unlike other PAH molecules, it lacks a "bay region", a structural pocket that increases reactivity of the molecule. Due to its high lipophilicity, anthanthrene has low water-solubility, and tends to accumulate in lipid-rich environments.
Anthanthrene is mainly used as a research chemical, and is a promising candidate for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, it has been shown to contribute to free radical formation and induction of DNA strand breaks, even before external metabolic activation, suggesting carcinogenic and mutagenic risks.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “anthanthrene” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.