Oxidation of 7-ethyl-2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (echinochrome A) by atmospheric oxygen 1. Structure of dehydroechinochrome

Abstract

The nondestructive oxidation of 7-ethyl-2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone by atmospheric oxygen in the ground (triplet ³Σ_g^–) and excited (singlet ¹Δ_g) states in different solvents (acetone, dioxane, ethanol, aqueous ethanol, water) at room temperature involves the initial formation of 7-ethyl-5,6,8-trihydroxy-2,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1,4-naphthoquinone (dehydroechinochrome) accompanied by the release of an H₂O₂ molecule into the reaction medium. Dehydroechinochrome, being highly susceptible to hydration, successively reacts with two H₂O molecules to form 7-ethyl-2,2,3,3,5,6,8-heptahydroxy-2,3-dihydro- 1,4-naphthoquinone as the relatively stable final product. In this form, it can be isolated from the mixture of reaction products.