Of quinones

Add 4 4 g. of recrystaUised -phenylhydroxylamine to a mixture of 20 ml. of concentrated sulphuric acid and 60 g. of ice contained in a 1 litre beaker cooled in a freezing mixture. Dilute the solution with 400 ml. of water, and boil until a sample, tested with dichromate solution, gives the smell of quinone and not of nitrosobenzene or nitrobenzene (ca. 10-15 minutes). Neutralise the cold reaction mixture with sodium bicarbonate, saturate with salt, extract twice with ether, and dry the ethereal extract with anhydrous magnesium or sodium sulphate. Distil off the ether p-aminophenol, m.p. 186°, remains. The yield is 4-3 g. 

When a solution of, say, 1 g. of hydroquinone in 4 ml. of rectified spirit is poured into a solution of 1 g. of quinone in 30 ml. of water, qulnhydrone C,HA.C,H (0H)3, a complex of equimolecular amounts of the two components, is formed as dark green crystals having a gfistening metallic lustre, m.p. 172°. In solution, it is largely dissociated into quinone and hydroquinone. Quinhydrone is more conveniently prepared by the partial oxidation of hydroquinone with a solution of iron alum. 

The number of quinones normally encountered in routine quahtative organic analysis is very limited the following notes will be found useful for their detection and characterisation. 

Quaternary structure (Section 27 22) Description of the way in which two or more protein chains not connected by chemical bonds are organized in a larger protein Quinone (Section 24 14) The product of oxidation of an ortho or para dihydroxybenzene denvative Examples of quinones include... 

Stabilizers. Hydroquinone [123-31 -9] (4) is widely used in commercial resins to provide stabiHty during the dissolution of the hot polyester resin in styrene during the manufacturing process. Aeration of the styrene with oxygen (air) is required to activate the stabilizer, which is converted to an equiHbrium mixture of quinone and the quinhydrone (5) (11). At levels of 150 ppm, a shelf life of over 6 months can be expected at ambient temperatures. 

Synthesis by oxidation remains the first choice for commercial and laboratory preparation of quinones the starting material (1) provided the generic name quinone. This simple, descriptive nomenclature has been abandoned by Chemicaly hstracts, but remains widely used (2). The systematic name for (2) is 2,5-cyclohexadiene-l,4-dione. Several examples of quinone synonyms are given in Table 1. Common names are used in this article. 1,2-Benzoquinone (3,5-cydohexadiene-l,2-dione) (3) is also prepared by oxidation, often with freshly prepared silver oxide (3). Compounds related to (3) must be prepared using mild conditions because of their great sensitivity to both electrophiles and nucleophiles (4,5). 

The close electrochemical relationship of the simple quinones, (2) and (3), with hydroquinone (1,4-benzenediol) (4) and catechol (1,2-benzenediol) (5), respectively, has proven useful in ways extending beyond their offering an attractive synthetic route. Photographic developers and dye syntheses often involve (4) or its derivatives (10). Biochemists have found much interest in the interaction of mercaptans and amino acids with various compounds related to (3). The reversible redox couple formed in many such examples and the frequendy observed quinonoid chemistry make it difficult to avoid a discussion of the aromatic reduction products of quinones (see Hydroquinone, resorcinol, and catechol). 

Dehydrogenation. The oldest and stiH important synthetic use of quinones is in the removal of hydrogen, especially for aromati2ation. This... 

Excellent evidence of the gende nature of quinones as oxidants in the presence of the thiophene ring, eg (39), has been found (26). 

Photochemical Reactions. Increased knowledge of the centraUty of quinone chemistry in photosynthesis has stimulated renewed interest in their photochemical behavior. Synthetically interesting work has centered on the 1,4-quinones and the two reaction types most frequentiy observed, ie [2 A 2] cycloaddition and hydrogen abstraction. Excellent reviews of these reactions, along with mechanistic discussion, are available (34,35). 

The most extensive mechanistic studies of quinone Michael addition chemistry involve the arylsufinic acids, which yield reduced product (50,51). The sulfones produced in such reactions have been examined electrochemicaHy (48) and kineticaHy (52). The influence of substitutents in the quinone has... 

Information on nucleophilic addition chemistry of quinones and various mechanistic rationali2ations have been discussed, and molecular orbital calculations have been proposed as more definitive approaches for explanation and prediction (63). 

The synthetic techniques of in generation of the quinone and utilisation of quinone monoacetals avoid the problems of instability, sequential... 

Reactions of quinones with radicals have been explored, and alkylation with diacyl peroxides constitutes an important synthetic tool (68). Although there are limitations, an impressive range of substituents can be introduced in good yield. Examples include alkyl chains ending with functional groups, eg, 50% yield of (70) [80632-67-3] (69,70). 

The importance of quinones with unsaturated side chains in respiratory, photosynthetic, blood-clotting, and oxidative phosphorylation processes has stimulated much research in synthetic methods. The important alkyl- or polyisoprenyltin reagents, eg, (71) or (72), illustrate significant conversions of 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-l,4-ben2oquinone [605-94-7] (73) to 75% (74) [727-81-1] and 94% (75) [4370-61-0] (71—73). 

In small-scale syntheses, a wide variety of oxidants have been employed in the preparation of quinones from phenols. Of these reagents, chromic acid, ferric ion, and silver oxide show outstanding usefulness in the oxidation of hydroquinones. Thallium (ITT) triduoroacetate converts 4-halo- or 4-/ f2 -butylphenols to l,4-ben2oquinones in high yield (110). For example, 2-bromo-3-methyl-5-/-butyl-l,4-ben2oquinone [25441-20-3] (107) has been made by this route. 

In the case of l,4-ben2oquinone, the product is steam-distilled, chilled, and obtained in high yield and purity. Direct oxidation of the appropriate unoxygenated hydrocarbon has been described for a large number of ring systems, but is generally utilized only for the polynuclear quinones without side chains. A representative sample of quinone uses is given in Table 5. 

The Diels-Alder reaction between two moles of butadiene and one mole of quinone [106-51-4] produces tetrahydroanthraquinone [28758-94-3]... 

In the benzene and naphthalene series there are few examples of quinone reductions other than that of hydroquinone itself. There are, however, many intermediate reaction sequences in the anthraquinone series that depend on the generation, usually by employing aqueous "hydros" (sodium dithionite) of the so-called leuco compound. The reaction with leuco quinizarin [122308-59-2] is shown because this provides the key route to the important 1,4-diaminoanthtaquinones. 

REDUCTION OF QUINONES WITH HYDRIODIC ACID DENZ[a]AHTHRACENE... 

The synthetic procedure described is based on that reported earlier for the synthesis on a smaller scale of anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, dibenz[a,c]anthracene, and phenanthrene in excellent yields from the corresponding quinones. Although reduction of quinones with HI and phosphorus was described in the older literature, relatively drastic conditions were employed and mixtures of polyhydrogenated derivatives were the principal products. The relatively milder experimental procedure employed herein appears generally applicable to the reduction of both ortho- and para-quinones directly to the fully aromatic polycyclic arenes. The method is apparently inapplicable to quinones having an olefinic bond, such as o-naphthoquinone, since an analogous reaction of the latter provides a product of undetermined structure (unpublished result). As shown previously, phenols and hydro-quinones, implicated as intermediates in the reduction of quinones by HI, can also be smoothly deoxygenated to fully aromatic polycyclic arenes under conditions similar to those described herein. 

According to Clar, "the reduction of quinones with hydriodic acid and... 

Aromatic ethers and furans undergo alkoxylation by addition upon electrolysis in an alcohol containing a suitable electrolyte.Other compounds such as aromatic hydrocarbons, alkenes, A -alkyl amides, and ethers lead to alkoxylated products by substitution. Two mechanisms for these electrochemical alkoxylations are currently discussed. The first one consists of direct oxidation of the substrate to give the radical cation which reacts with the alcohol, followed by reoxidation of the intermediate radical and either alcoholysis or elimination of a proton to the final product. In the second mechanism the primary step is the oxidation of the alcoholate to give an alkoxyl radical which then reacts with the substrate, the consequent steps then being the same as above. The formation of quinone acetals in particular seems to proceed via the second mechanism. ... 

In the bacterial reaction center the photons are absorbed by the special pair of chlorophyll molecules on the periplasmic side of the membrane (see Figure 12.14). Spectroscopic measurements have shown that when a photon is absorbed by the special pair of chlorophylls, an electron is moved from the special pair to one of the pheophytin molecules. The close association and the parallel orientation of the chlorophyll ring systems in the special pair facilitates the excitation of an electron so that it is easily released. This process is very fast it occurs within 2 picoseconds. From the pheophytin the electron moves to a molecule of quinone, Qa, in a slower process that takes about 200 picoseconds. The electron then passes through the protein, to the second quinone molecule, Qb. This is a comparatively slow process, taking about 100 microseconds. 

Above 160°C it is believed that additional cross-linking reactions take place involving the formation and reaction of quinone methides by condensation of the ether linkages with the phenolic hydroxyl groups (Figure 23.14). 

In addition to the above possible mechanisms the possibility of reaction at w-positions should not be excluded. For example, it has been shown by Koebner that o- and p-cresols, ostensibly difunctional, can, under certain conditions, react with formaldehyde to give insoluble and infusible resins. Furthermore, Megson has shown that 2,4,6-trimethylphenol, in which the two ortho- and the one para-positions are blocked, can condense with formaldehyde under strongly acidic conditions. It is of interest to note that Redfam produced an infusible resin from 3,4,5,-trimethylphenol under alkaline conditions. Here the two m- and the p-positions were blocked and this experimental observation provides supplementary evidence that additional functionalities are developed during reaction, for example in the formation of quinone methides. 

In order that the rate of cure of phenolic moulding compositions is sufficiently rapid to be economically attractive, curing is carried out at a temperature which leads to the formation of quinone methides and their derivatives which impart a dark colour to the resin. Thus the range of pigments available is limited to blacks, browns and relatively dark blues, greens, reds and oranges. 

Quinone (Section 24.14) The product of oxidation of an ortho or para dihydroxybenzene derivative. Examples of quinones include... 

If-Phenylenediamine, when warmed with dilute sulphuric acid and potassium bichromate or lead peroxide, gives the odour of quinone (p.-iqa). After warming and cooling, extract with ether. The ethereal solution has a yellow colour. Decant the ether extract on to a watch-glass and leave it to evapoiate in the air. A deposit of microscopic yellow crystals remains. See Appendix., p. 286. 

Tile constitution of the hydrociiioride is doulitfui but the so-cailed gi/i/w/wi/l structure, by which the substance is lepre-sented as a derivative of quinone, is generally accepted,... 

Reactions of quinones with enamino ketones have not been reported, but ethyl (S-anilinocrotonate (94), an enamino ester, has been shown to condense (71) with p-benzoquinone to give l-phenyl-2-methyl-3-carbethoxy-5-hydroxyindole (95). 

LY311727 is an indole acetic acid based selective inhibitor of human non-pancreatic secretory phospholipase A2 (hnpsPLA2) under development by Lilly as a potential treatment for sepsis. The synthesis of LY311727 involved a Nenitzescu indolization reaction as a key step. The Nenitzescu condensation of quinone 4 with the p-aminoacrylate 39 was carried out in CH3NO2 to provide the desired 5-hydroxylindole 40 in 83% yield. Protection of the 5-hydroxyl moiety in indole 40 was accomplished in H2O under phase transfer conditions in 80% yield. Lithium aluminum hydride mediated reduction of the ester functional group in 41 provided the alcohol 42 in 78% yield. 

The reduction of ,/S-unsaturated y-diketones can conveniently be done with zinc in acetic acid. The following procedure is applicable to the reduction of the Diels-Alder adduct of quinone and butadiene (Chapter 8, Section II). 

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