It is one of the four components of basic fuchsine, and one of the two that are available as single dyes.[1] The other is pararosaniline. It is prepared by condensation of ortho-toluidine with formaldehyde. This process initially gives the benzhydrol 4,4'-bis(dimethylamino)benzhydrol, which is further condensed to give the leuco (colorless) tertiary alcohol [(H2N(CH3)C6H3)3COH, which is oxidized in acid to give the dye.[2]