Definition of "catechol" [cat•e•chol]

• See catechin. (noun)
• A biologically important organic phenol, having two hydroxyl groups attached to the benzene ring. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "An additional level of confidence is that a component of the reaction mixture, called catechol, actually kills the bacteria a few hours after it is added."
• "Zhang, F, et al. Synthesis and reactivity of the catechol metabolites from the equine estrogen, 8, 9-dehydroestrone."
• "In the American and Japanese species they are a mixture of catechol and pyrogallol tannins, while they appear to be pure pyrogallol tannins in the Chinese species."