phenylarsine oxide

Phenylarsine oxide is an organoarsenic small molecule with the formula C6H5AsO, consisting of a phenyl group and an oxygen atom bonded to arsenic[1][2]. It is a cyclic oligomer that in solid form crystallizes as a tetramer. Phenylarsine oxide is notable for its high affinity for vicinal thiol (sulfhydryl) groups in proteins, forming stable cyclic thioarsenite complexes, and is widely used as a biochemical tool for probing thiol-containing proteins and as a membrane-permeable inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatases[1][3][5][9][10]. It also acts as a strong oxidant and a prototype trivalent arsenical agent, occasionally used as a surrogate for highly toxic arsenicals (like lewisite) in research settings, and has been used as an antineoplastic agent in some studies[5]. Historically, it has limited use as a poultry coccidiostat in veterinary settings[3]. Phenylarsine oxide exhibits severe biological toxicities, especially via oxidative stress mechanisms, inducing unfolded protein response (UPR) activation and ferroptotic cell death[5][9]. It is a highly toxic compound and is unsuitable for clinical use in humans due to its arsenical toxicity[5][9]. In analytical chemistry, it is used as a reducing agent for determination of chlorine and iodine in wastewater samples[1][7].

Other names

oxophenylarsineoxo(phenyl)arsanephenylarsine oxide mixture of oligomersphenylarsine oxide solutionarsenosobenzenefenylarsinoxidoxophenyl-arsinarsenosobenzen