Intermediates

O-Phthalaldehyde

O-Phthalaldehyde is a high-level chemical disinfectant that is commonly used for disinfection of dental and medical instruments as an alternative to glutaraldehyde. Using o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) in combination with a thiol reagent is a standard method for detecting primary amines in amino acids, peptides, and proteins. O-phthalaldehyde, in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol, reacts with primary amines to form highly fluorescent products.