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From natural to synthetic: Why is the history of lexalin so fascinating?
Alizarin, a deep red organic compound, has been inseparable from human daily life since ancient times. Its chemical formula is C14H8O4. Alisalin was first extracted from the roots of Polygonaceae plants, especially the ancient madder. Dating back to 1500 BC in Central Asia and Egypt, madder has been widely cultivated and used as a dye.
"The colors dyed with madder roots were found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun."
During the Middle Ages, Charlemagne encouraged the large-scale cultivation of madder, making it one of the most widely used dyes in Western Europe. In 17th-century England, lexalin was used as a dye for the battle uniforms of Parliament's New Model Army. This color continued to be popular even centuries later, earning British soldiers the title "Redcoats."
In the 18th century, the most precious color was a bright red called "Turkish Red". Its production process originated in the Middle East and included a series of complicated steps. It was not until 1804 that the British dye manufacturer George Field improved the madder extract, using aluminum and alkaline substances to treat the madder extract to create a more durable color.
"This Madder Lake pigment lasts longer than ever and can be applied to paint more effectively."
But as science advances, the boundaries of Alexalin's story are expanding. In 1868, German chemists Carl Grabbe and Karl Liebermann successfully synthesized lysalin, the first dye synthesized from a natural dye. It can be seen that with the discovery of coal tar, the importance of lysalin in synthetic chemistry gradually increased.
“The cost of synthetic lysalin is much lower than that of natural dyes, causing the madder market to collapse almost instantly.”
The synthesis process involved the bromination and subsequent treatment of anthraquinone, an unheard-of process that was an important step in shaping the modern dye industry. To date, the synthesis of lysalin has not only driven the development of the dye industry, but also promoted the application of dyes in other fields, such as biological research.
Today, Alyssaline is no longer the only option. With the advent of more lightfast quinoline pigments, its position in the market has diminished, but biologically, alissarin remains influential with its superior dyeing properties. Alisalin Red is of irreplaceable importance, especially in studies evaluating raw bone material and cell signaling.
"Alisalin is used as a stain in many medical studies to enhance the observation of calcium."
Arisalin displays different colors at different pH values, making it a good pH indicator. These properties have not only allowed lysalin to retain its place in the fields of chemistry and biomedicine, but also in geology as a stain for distinguishing calcium carbonate minerals.
Today, as science advances and new technologies emerge, Alexaline's story shows that nature's resources can be scientifically reimagined to meet evolving human needs and creativity. It also raises a profound question: In a rapidly evolving technological world, should we always pursue things of natural origin, or can we bravely embrace a synthetic future?
