title: Syntheses of Anthracenones. 1. Sodium Dithionite Reduction of peri-Substituted Anthracenediones.
abstract: The reaction of peri-substituted anthracenediones with sodium dithionite in dimethylformamide and water has been investigated. The system selectively reduces the carbonyl group flanked by the peri substituents of the anthracenediones to give the corresponding 4,5-disubstituted 9(10H)-anthracenones and thus provides a route to anthracenones which are otherwise difficult to obtain. Many functional groups can be tolerated, the reaction is compatible with the presence of peri alkoxy groups and unsaturated side chains of the starting anthracenediones, and the reduction does not go beyond the anthracenone stage. However, the formation of anthracenones depends on the nature of the peri substituents. No products were obtained from the 1,8-dimethyl-substituted anthracenedione and the parent compound with no substituents.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmazie, Pharmazeutische Chemie I, Universität Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prinz
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wiegrebe
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Müller