2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP or simply DNP) is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H3(NO2)2. It has been used in explosives manufacturing and as a pesticide and herbicide.
In humans, DNP causes dose-dependent mitochondrial uncoupling, causing the rapid loss of ATP as heat and leading to uncontrolled hyperthermia—up to 44 °C (111 °F)—and death in case of overdose. Researchers noticed its effect on raising the basal metabolic rate in accidental exposure and developed it as one of the first weight loss drugs in the early twentieth century. DNP was banned from human use by the end of the 1930s due to its risk of death and toxic side effects. DNP continues to be used after its ban and experienced a resurgence in popularity after it became available on the Internet.
Chemical properties
Synthesis of DNP (right) from phenol and nitric acid via 2-Nitrophenol and 4-Nitrophenol
DNP has the chemical formula HOC6H3(NO2)2. As a solid, it is a yellow, crystalline and has a sweet, musty odor. It sublimates, is volatile with steam, and is soluble in most organic solvents as well as aqueous alkaline solutions. 24-Dinitrophenol powder is a member of the dinitrophenols chemical family.
DNP can be produced by hydrolysis of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene. Other routes of DNP synthesis include nitration of monochlorobenzene, nitration of benzene with nitrogen dioxide and mercurous nitrate, oxidation of 1,3-dinitrobenzene, and nitration of phenol with nitric acid.
A dust explosion is possible with DNP in powder or granular form in the presence of air. DNP may explosively decompose when submitted to shock, friction or concussion, and may explode upon heating.[6] DNP forms explosive salts with strong bases as well as ammonia, and emits toxic fumes of nitrogen dioxide when heated to decomposition.DNP’s explosive strength is 81% that of TNT, based on the Trauzl lead block test.
Uses
Industrial
Historically, 2,4-Dinitrophenol powder has been used as an antiseptic and as a non-selective bioaccumulating pesticide.
DNP was particularly useful as a herbicide alongside other closely related dinitrophenol herbicides like 2,4-dinitro-o-cresol (DNOC), dinoseb and dinoterb.[10] Since 1998 DNP has been withdrawn from agricultural use. Currently, there are no actively registered pesticides containing DNP in the United States or Europe. Dinoseb is used industrially as a polymerisation inhibitor during styrene production. In 2023, the Home Office said it could not determine any legitimate industrial uses for DNP in the United Kingdom.
It is a chemical intermediate in the production of sulfur dyes, wood preservatives and picric acid. A precursor to 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), DNP has also been used to make photographic developers and explosives. DNP is classified as an explosive in the United Kingdom and the United States.
In humans
DNP raises energy expenditure by 30 to 40 percent and causes a weight loss of 0.7–0.9 kilograms (1.5–2.0 lb) per week. Although DNP is no longer in clinical use as a weight loss drug due to its dangerous side effects, its mechanism of action remains under investigation as a potential approach for treating obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Researches developed a prodrug, HU6, which is metabolized to DNP in the liver to provide more stable blood concentrations. HU6 completed a phase II trial in which it produced significant reductions in liver fat and body weight in overweight people with elevated liver fat, without serious adverse effects.
Buy 2,4-Dinitrophenol is used by bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, and people with an eating disorder to lose weight. The user profile is similar to that of anabolic steroids; many perceive it to be effective and with manageable risks. Despite health warnings from regulators, DNP is readily available online sometimes under other names such as Dinosan, Dnoc, Solfo Black, Nitrophen, Aldifen, and Chemox. DNP is often sold in tablets containing 100 to 200 mg[1] and may be sold alongside other substances such as anabolic steroids and thyroxine.
It may also be found as a contaminant in other bodybuilding supplements not advertised as containing DNP. Online message boards provide information on dosage and regimens for DNP use, and describe the risks of taking the compound and provide advice on how to mitigate hyperthermia.[17][25][26] According to a study published in 2023, the most commonly reported doses were between 150 and 300 mg/day. Between 2010 and 2020, reports of overdoses were higher in Australasia, Europe and North America than in Asia, Africa, and South or Central America.
It is also used as a suicide method.
Side effects
DNP has a low therapeutic index, meaning that the dosage required for a desired effect is not much smaller than that which produces toxicity. Individual tolerance to DNP’s harmful short- and long-term effects varies greatly. The most common adverse effect reported is a rash, which could be maculopapular, urticarial, angioedema, or an exfoliative dermatitis. Cataracts can form, causing a permanent loss of vision in days to months of usage, and permanent deafness has also been reported. Other adverse effects reported include peripheral neuritis, agranulocytosis, and neutropaenia.
Negative effects on the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and bone marrow can occur. In animal studies, DNP acted as a teratogen, mutagen, and carcinogen and caused developmental and reproductive harm. An unusually yellow coloring of the skin, mucous membranes, sclera, urine, stomach contents, and internal organs is an indication of DNP exposure, but does not occur in every case. Contact with skin or inhalation can cause DNP poisoning. Symptoms are typically mild with dermal exposure, but inhalation can lead to systemic effects, the same way as oral exposure.
Overdose
Overdose is extremely dangerous; cases reported to poison control centers had a 11.9 percent fatality rate between 2010 and 2020.lthough the largest number of overdose deaths occurred in the 1910s and 1920s when the chemical was in more widespread industrial use, the substance’s use as a dieting aid has caused a number of fatalities in the twenty-first century: at least 50 overdose deaths were reported worldwide between 2010 and 2020. Although the lowest published fatal ingested dose is 4.3 mg/kg, a typical overdose death occurs at a higher level of exposure, around 20-50 mg/kg.
The first symptoms to appear are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and perhaps diarrhea. The typical overdose syndrome seen with DNP and other phenols is a combination of hyperthermia, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and tachypnoea. Because of the heat produced during uncoupling, DNP overdose will overpower the body’s attempt to maintain thermal homeostasis and cause an uncontrolled, fatal rise in body temperature up to as high as 44 °C (111 °F). The disruption of metabolism also leads to the accumulation of potassium and phosphate, potentially contributing to toxicity. 2,4-Dinitrophenol can cause T wave and ST segment abnormalities; heart muscle, kidney, and liver damage have been found on autopsy. According to an analysis of United Kingdom and United States overdose cases, tachycardia, hyperpyrexia, acidosis, and agitation or confusion are independent predictors of overdose death.
More Introduction:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,4-Dinitrophenol
