A colorless liquid, commercial samples can appear yellow owing to air oxidation.
It is prepared via methanolysis of 2-chloronitrobenzene:[5] The resulting o-nitroanisole is reduced to o-anisidine.
This mixture is applied to the wood and by reaction with polyphenols in the heartwood a reddish brown azo dye is formed.
o-Anisidine is a dangerous pollutant from the production of dyes.
[6] The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified o-anisidine as a Group 2B, possible human carcinogen.