Hemin Hydrochloride

Hemin hydrochloride (syn. hemin chloride) is a chemical compound that is formed as a result of the interaction of hydrochloric acid with hemin.

Hemin is a prosthetic group of hemoglobin and myoglobin containing iron. When hydrochloric acid is added to hemin, the nitrogen atom in one of the pyrrole rings is protonated and a hemin cation is formed. This cation reacts with the chlorine anion from hydrochloric acid, resulting in hemin hydrochloride.

The compound has a greenish-brown color and a crystalline structure. It is widely used in laboratory studies of heme-containing proteins such as cytochromes and peroxidases. Hemin hydrochloride makes it possible to isolate these proteins from complex biological mixtures.