2-Nitrophenyl hexyl ether

2-Nitrophenyl hexyl ether is a chromogenic substrate commonly used to assay the activity of esterases. Upon cleavage of the ester bond by esterases, the released 2-nitrophenyl group yields a yellow color detectable by spectrophotometry. This substrate has been used in a variety of applications, including environmental monitoring and studies of insecticide resistance. It is particularly useful for screening large numbers of samples because of its rapid reaction rate and high sensitivity. However, it should be noted that some non-specific hydrolysis may occur with this substrate, particularly at high concentrations or in the presence of strong nucleophiles.