 | |
 Chemical structure (top) and sample of pure compound (bottom) | |
| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Routes of administration | Oral |
| Drug class | Uncoupling agents |
| Legal status | |
| Legal status |
|
| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Metabolism | Nitro reduction |
| Elimination half-life | Unknown |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | |
| PubChem CID | |
| DrugBank | |
| ChemSpider | |
| UNII | |
| KEGG | |
| ChEBI | |
| ChEMBL | |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.080 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C6H4N2O5 |
| Molar mass | 184.107 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| |
| |
2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP or simply DNP) is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H3(NO2)2. It has been used in explosives manufacturing and as a pesticide and herbicide.
In humans, DNP causes dose-dependent mitochondrial uncoupling, causing the rapid loss of ATP as heat and leading to uncontrolled hyperthermia—up to 44 °C (111 °F)—and death in case of overdose. Researchers noticed its effect on raising the basal metabolic rate in accidental exposure and developed it as one of the first weight loss drugs in the early twentieth century. DNP was banned from human use by the end of the 1930s due to its risk of death and toxic side effects. DNP continues to be used after its ban and experienced a resurgence in popularity after it became available on the Internet.