Skip to Content
Merck
All Photos(1)

Documents

61135

Sigma-Aldrich

Crystal Violet

for microscopy (Bact., Bot., Hist., Vit.), indicator (pH 0.1-2.0)

Synonym(s):

Basic Violet 3, Gentian Violet, Hexamethylpararosaniline chloride, Methyl Violet 10B

Sign Into View Organizational & Contract Pricing


About This Item

Linear Formula:
C25H30N3Cl
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
407.98
Colour Index Number:
42555
Beilstein:
3580948
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12171500
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
MA.02

grade

for microscopy (Bact., Bot., Hist., Vit.)
indicator (pH 0.1-2.0)

Quality Level

form

powder

color

green to very dark green

visual transition interval

0.1-2.0, yellow-green to blue-violet

mp

205 °C (dec.) (lit.)

density

1.190 g/cm3

ε (extinction coefficient)

≥1750 at 585-595  nm in water

suitability

suitable for microscopy (Bact., Bot., Hist., Vit.)

antibiotic activity spectrum

fungi

application(s)

diagnostic assay manufacturing
hematology
histology

Mode of action

cell membrane | interferes
enzyme | inhibits

storage temp.

room temp

SMILES string

[Cl-].CN(C)c1ccc(cc1)\C(c2ccc(cc2)N(C)C)=C3/C=C\C(C=C3)=[N+](/C)C

InChI

1S/C25H30N3.ClH/c1-26(2)22-13-7-19(8-14-22)25(20-9-15-23(16-10-20)27(3)4)21-11-17-24(18-12-21)28(5)6;/h7-18H,1-6H3;1H/q+1;/p-1

InChI key

ZXJXZNDDNMQXFV-UHFFFAOYSA-M

Looking for similar products? Visit Product Comparison Guide

General description

Crystal violet, also known as Basic Violet 3 or Gentian Violet, is a basic, cationic aminoarylmethane dye. It is the N-hexamethylated derivative of pararosaniline and bears a lipophilic cation. It is primarily used in bacteriology and microscopy as the primary stain in Gram staining to classify and distinguish between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It is indicator grade, exhibiting a color transition from yellow-green in acidic conditions to blue-violet in basic conditions. It also possesses antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Application

  • Crystal violet is mainly used in Gram staining and its variants, and for staining amyloid, bacterial components, and vascular plant tissues.
  • It is used in polychrome staining of epoxy resin sections, viability staining of cultured neurons, and confocal optical sectioning to analyze meiotic structures.
  • It is also employed in the acridine orange-crystal violet staining of intracellular bacteria, microsporidian spores, and cytological smears.

Biochem/physiol Actions

The antimicrobial properties of crystal violet are due to free radical generation and the formation of unionized dye-bacteria complexes. It inhibits bacterial protein synthesis and cell wall formation and is especially effective against Gram-positive bacteria.

Principle

Gram staining is used to differentiate bacteria based on their cell wall structure. Gram-positive bacteria have a thicker cell wall with more peptidoglycan and less lipid content, while gram-negative bacteria have a thinner cell wall with less peptidoglycan and more lipid content. During the staining process, crystal violet is applied to the bacteria, followed by the iodine to form a complex that fixes the dye. A decolorizer is then used to remove the dye from gram-negative bacteria by dissolving their lipid layer. Gram-positive bacteria retain the dye due to the dehydration and shrinking of their cell walls. A counterstain, such as safranin or basic fuchsin, is applied to impart a pink color to decolorized gram-negative bacteria.

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Statements

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 4 Oral - Aquatic Acute 1 - Aquatic Chronic 1 - Carc. 1B - Eye Dam. 1 - Muta. 2

Storage Class Code

6.1C - Combustible acute toxic Cat.3 / toxic compounds or compounds which causing chronic effects

WGK

WGK 3

Flash Point(F)

Not applicable

Flash Point(C)

Not applicable

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

Choose from one of the most recent versions:

Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Lot/Batch Number

Don't see the Right Version?

If you require a particular version, you can look up a specific certificate by the Lot or Batch number.

Already Own This Product?

Find documentation for the products that you have recently purchased in the Document Library.

Visit the Document Library

Customers Also Viewed

Conn's Biological Stains
Kiernan & Horobin
Conn?s Biological Stains (2002)
Histological and Histochemical Methods: Theory and Practice
J.A. Kiernan
Histological and Histochemical Methods: Theory and Practice (2015)
Weixiao Liu et al.
Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology, 31(3), 127-132 (2004-04-08)
One laccase-secreting engineered strain and four white-rot fungi were tested for their capacity to decolorize nine dyes that could be classified as azo, anthraquinonic and triphenylmethane dyes. Trametes versicolor was the most efficient of the tested strains under these experimental
Klaus Hunger
Industrial Dyes: Chemistry, Properties, Applications, 47-47 (2007)
Tomoyuki Fujita et al.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 100(13), 940-949 (2008-06-26)
Neuroblastomas are characterized by hemizygous 1p deletions, suggesting that a tumor suppressor gene resides in this region. We previously mapped the smallest region of consistent deletion to a 2-Mb region of 1p36.31 that encodes 23 genes. Based on mutation analysis

Our team of scientists has experience in all areas of research including Life Science, Material Science, Chemical Synthesis, Chromatography, Analytical and many others.

Contact Technical Service