CAS No. 1239-45-8
Batch:
Purity:99.05
Chemical Structure
Check the
Ethidium bromide
product page for in-depth specifications, including solubility, stock solutions, MOA, and working concentrations.
Chemical Information
| IUPAC Name | 5-ethyl-6-phenylphenanthridin-5-ium-3,8-diamine bromide | |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | 1239-45-8 | |
| Molecular Formula |
C21H20N3.Br |
|
| Molecular Weight (MW) | 394.31 | |
| SMILES | CC[N+]1=C2C=C(C=CC2=C3C=CC(=CC3=C1C4=CC=CC=C4)N)N.[Br-] | |
| InChIKey | ZMMJGEGLRURXTF-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
Biological Activity
Ethidium bromide is a classical nucleic acid intercalating agent and fluorescent stain. It non-covalently inserts between adjacent nitrogenous base pairs of double-stranded DNA and RNA, causing structural distortion of the double helix. This intercalation blocks nucleic acid synthesis and replication while dramatically enhancing the compound's fluorescence quantum yield upon binding, making it a widely utilized tool for nucleic acid detection and visualization.
How to Prepare Stock Solution?
|
Concentration
Volume
Mass
|
|---|
Solubility
Batch:
All in vitro solubility values are batch-tested experimental data (non-literature values).
| Solvent | Solubility & Note |
|---|---|
| DMSO |
79 mg/mL
(200.34 mM)
(Moisture-contaminated DMSO may reduce solubility. Use fresh, anhydrous DMSO. The recommended stock concentration is 10 mM in DMSO.) |
| Water | 4 mg/mL |
| Ethanol | Insoluble |
Q: Why does a DMSO stock precipitate in media/saline?
A: It is caused by unheated aqueous media (supersaturation), local solvent shock, or incorrect mixing sequence.
How to fix it?
- Preheat media/saline to 37°C.
- Mix rapidly (pipette/vortex) upon addition.
- For complex mixes, always add the aqueous phase last.
- Re-dissolve minor precipitates with a 37°C water bath and sonication (≤30 min).
Jump to
Note: Technical data last updated: Sep 1, 2026.