The New Student's Reference Work/Aniline

Aniline (ăn' ĭ-lĭn or lēn), a colorless, oily and poisonous liquid, discovered 80 years ago as a product of the dry distillation of indigo, but now mainly derived from the benzene of coal-tar. It is largely used in the manufacture of dyes, now an extensive industry since the development by chemists of the variety of aniline and coal-tar colors and their application in dyeing and calico printing. On exposure to air and light aniline takes on a dark red color, and it boils at 183° C. United with acids, it forms crystallized salt.