phthaliden.
/ˈ(f)θalʌɪd/, /ˈ(f)θeɪlʌɪd/, U.S. /ˈθæˌlaɪd/, /ˈθeɪˌlaɪd/ Chemistry.
†(a) Phthalic anhydride. Obsolete. (b) A lactone, C6H4(CH2)(CO)O, obtainable by the reduction of phthalic anhydride; (also) a substituted derivative of this.
ΚΠ
1866 H. Watts Dict. Chem. IV. 631 Phthalide.
1878 Johnson's New Universal Cycl. (new ed.) III. 1239/2 By distillation it [sc. phthalic acid] yields its anhydride, C8H4O3, called also phthalide.
1922 J. J. Sudborough Bernthsen's Text-bk. Org. Chem. (new ed.) xxvi. 489 As an ortho-compound it [sc. o-hydroxymethyl-benzoic acid] readily yields the anhydride or lactone, phthalide.., which is obtained by the reduction of phthalic anhydride or chloride.
1946 Thorpe's Dict. Appl. Chem. (ed. 4) VII. 173/1 Phthalide is best prepared by the reduction of phthalic anhydride.
1992 Guardian 12 June 30/2 A small amount [of 3-n-butyl phthalide] can lower the blood pressure of laboratory rats... Now, the test is to see whether the phthalide can do the same trick for human beings.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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