The monophenolic metabolites of the herbicide 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile in animals as uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation.

1. Both monophenolic metabolites of 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (2,6-dichloro-3-hydroxybenzonitrile and its 4-hydroxy analogue) added to starved yeast cells incubated with a limited quantity of glucose cause a significant rise in oxygen consumption of the cells. 2. The same compounds induce adenosine-triphosphatase activity in isolated intact rat-liver mitochondria. 3. The possible role of the hydroxylation of 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile in mammals in relation to hepatic injury is discussed.