Chem. [f. (by Fritzche 1841) ANIL indigo + -INE.] A chemical base important in the arts as the source of many beautiful dyes; obtained originally by distilling indigo with caustic potash, but subsequently from many other sources, especially coal-tar.
A. is a colorless, oily, aromatic, volatile liquid, of constitution C6H5 (NH2), which may be viewed as ammonia in which one hydrogen atom is replaced by the compound radical phenyl C6H5, hence also called Phenylamine; or as benzol C6H6, in which one atom of H is replaced by amidogen NH2, whence also called Amidobenzol and Amidobenzene. It forms crystalline salts with acids, e.g., Aniline acetate, oxalate, sulphate, nitrate, etc., and compound anilines in which one or both the hydrogen atoms in NH2 are replaced by radicals, as Ethyl-aniline, Diethyl-aniline, etc.
1850. Daubeny, Atom. The., viii. (ed. 2), 237. [Isatine] if heated along with potass, yields an organic base capable of neutralizing acids … which is called aniline.
1860. Piesse, Lab. Chem. Wonders, 138. Obtaining a dye, Aniline, from the waste tar of gas works.
1861. Lond. Rev., 22 June, 732. Aniline is a colourless liquid, with a strong aromatic odour, and a sharp burning taste…. From this aniline chemists are now preparing every shade of blue and red.
2. attrib. in aniline dyes, colors, black, red, purple, yellow, green, etc., printing, process, etc.; and in Chem. in aniline series, compounds, acetate, etc.
1864. Daily Tel., 29 July, 6/4. The Princess wore a silk dress, of that exquisite purple tint which is due to the modern discovery of the aniline dyes.
1869. Eng. Mech., 2 July, 340/3. Aniline colours derived from coal were discovered in 1856.
1869. Roscoe, Elem. Chem., xxxix. 411. Aniline acetate … on heating loses a molecule of water, yielding an amide called acetanilide.
1875. trans. Vogel’s Chem. Light, xv. 247. The aniline-printing invented by Willis.
1878. A. M. Hamilton, Nervous Dis., 21. The black anilin process of Herbert Major.
Mod. An aniline copying pencil.
3. As final element in many names of aniline derivatives; as chrysaniline, leucaniline, rosaniline, etc.
1872. Watts, Dict. Chem., VI. 160. A considerable quantity of very pure hydrochloride of rosaniline.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 187. Aniline-yellow … The name of Chrysaniline has been given to this very beautiful yellow colour. Hofmann has shown that chrysaniline is intimately related to rosaniline and leucaniline.
