Naphthol

Naphthol, or hydroxynaphthalene or naphthalenol, is either of two colorless crystalline solids with the formula C10H7OH. They are positional isomers differing by the location of the hydroxyl group on naphthalene. α-Naphthol is naphthalen-1-ol, and β-naphthol is naphthalen-2-ol. Naphthol is the naphthalene homologue of phenol, with the hydroxyl group being more reactive than in the phenols. They are soluble in simple alcohols, ethers, and chloroform. They can be used in the production of dyes and further organic synthesis. For example, β-naphthol reacts to form BINOL.