Kermes, kermesic acid

Kermes (Kermesic Acid). Female scale insects. Coccus ilicis, which infect the Kermes oak... 

Quinones group Alizarin Aloe Aloe-emodin Aloin Carminic acid Chrysophanol Cochineal Emodin Frangulin Kermes Kermesic acid Lac Laccaic acid Lucidin Madder Morindone Munjistin Pseudopurpurin Purpurin Rhein Rubiadin Colour Index (1911) Hobson Wales (1998) 42—44... 

Kermes spp. K. ballotae K. vermilio Planch Kermesidae Kermes Kermesic acid [Flavokermesic acid] Schweppe K. vermilio is the primary... 

Kermococcus spp... illicis L. Kermesidae Kermes Kermesic acid Schweppe Roosen- Mentioned in literature ... 

Porphyrophora polonica L. (Polish cochineal) contains small amounts of the kermes dyes kermesic acid and flavokerme-sic acid besides the cochineal dye carminic acid. These secondary components cannot be identified unless they have previously been concentrated. 

Indigenous in the Mediterranean area and in Asia Minor. Constituents (See also table V) Kermes contains kermesic acid (XXVI) and a small amount of flavokermesic acid (61) whose constitution has not yet been determined. 

For the separation of the kermes dyes kermesic acid and flavo-kermesic acid the following solvents are suitable according to my own experience ... 

The thin-layer chromatogram shows at first sight that the red samples of the coronation robe and of the Tunicella have been dyed with kermes (Kermococcus vermilio PLANCHON). As the comparison shows, not only the green spot of kermesic acid, but also the red spot of flavokermesic acid is clearly visible. 

In the case of lac dye, clearly the separation of the laccaic acids A, B, C, D, and E (39-42) can be seen, and in the case of kermes, the separation into kermesic acid (green spot) and flavokermesic acid (red spot) can be seen. References 39-42 describe the determination of the constitutions of the laccaic acids A-E and indicate their constitutions. 

Kermesic acid an anthraquinone, m.p. 250 °C (d.), which occurs naturally as a bright red insect dye. It is structurally closely related to Carminic acid (see) it possesses the identical structure of a tetrahydroxyla-ted methylanthraquinone carboxylic acid, but there is no C-glycosidic glucose on C2. K.a. makes up 1-2% of kermes, the dried bodies of female scale insects Kermococcus ilicis. Kermes is one of the oldest known dyes and was used in ancient times as a scarlet mordant dye (Venetian scarlet), It was supplanted in the 16th century by cochineal. 

Kermesic acid in Kermes from insect species such as Kermes vermilio Planchon. eaidKennococcus illicis. 

The extracted dyestuff of cochineal insects is principally carminic acid, however the P. polonica additionally contains small amounts of kermesic and flavokermesic acids as does P. hamelii to a lesser degree. As kermesic acid is the principal dyestuff of the kermes insect it is possible that this has led to some misattributions of cochineal lakes as kermes lakes. The smaller amount of kermesic acid in the Armenian cochineal has made this very difficult to distinguish from the New World cochineal (Kirby and White, 1996). Research by Wouters and Verhecken (1991) has shown that there are clear differences in the chemicals produced hy the two species and that the relative proportions of the dye precursers will allow us to distinguish between the various Porphyrophora. 

Kermesic acid is 9,10-dihydro-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-l-methyl-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenecarboxyhc acid the structure has been determined by GadgU et al. (1968). It is the principal compoimd foimd in dye extracted from the kermes insect Kermes vermilio Planchon and also, to a lesser extent, the so-called Pohsh cochineal insect Porphyrophorapolonica L. and to an even lesser extent the Armenian cochineal Porphyrophora hamelii Brandt. This consists principally of kermesic acid, although the related... 

Kermesic acid, CigHioOs Scale insect, kermes (antiquity)... 

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