The molecule is an indolyl carbohydrate that is the beta-D-glucoside of 3-hydroxy-1H-indole in which the indole moiety is substituted at positions 4 and 5 by chlorine and bromine, respectively. It is used to test for the presence of an enzyme, beta-glucosidase, which cleaves the glycosidic bond to give 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-hydroxy-1H-indole, which immediately dimerises to give an intensely blue product. It has a role as a chromogenic compound. It is an indolyl carbohydrate, an organobromine compound, an organochlorine compound, a D-aldohexose derivative and a beta-D-glucoside. It derives from an indoxyl.
(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(5-bromo-4-chloro-1H-indol-3-yl)oxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol