Squaric acid

Squaric acid, also called quadratic acid, because its four carbon atoms approximately form a square, is an organic compound with chemical formula C4H2O4. The conjugate base of squaric acid is the hydrogensquarate anion C4HO4−; and the conjugate base of the hydrogensquarate anion is the divalent squarate anion C4O42−. This is one of the oxocarbon anions, which consist only of carbon and oxygen. Squaric acid is a reagent for chemical synthesis, used for instance to make photosensitive squaraine dyes and inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatases.

Squaric acid

Squaric acid, also called quadratic acid, because its four carbon atoms approximately form a square, is an organic compound with chemical formula C4H2O4. The conjugate base of squaric acid is the hydrogensquarate anion C4HO4−; and the conjugate base of the hydrogensquarate anion is the divalent squarate anion C4O42−. This is one of the oxocarbon anions, which consist only of carbon and oxygen. Squaric acid is a reagent for chemical synthesis, used for instance to make photosensitive squaraine dyes and inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatases.