1,2-Benzoquinone, also called ortho-benzoquinone, is an organic compound with formula C6H4O2. It is one of the two isomers of quinone, the other being 1,4-benzoquinone. It is a red volatile solid that is soluble in water and ethyl ether. It is rarely encountered because of its instability, but it is of fundamental interest as the parent compound of many derivatives which are known.[3][4]
Structure
The molecule has C2v symmetry. X-ray crystallography shows that the double bonds are localized, with alternatingly long and short C-C distances within the ring. The C=O distances of 1.21 Å are characteristic of ketones.[5]
Preparation and reactions
1,2-Benzoquinone is produced on oxidation of catechol exposed to air in aqueous solution[6] or by ortho oxidation of a phenol.[6]
^MacDonald, Alistair L.; Trotter, James (1973). "Crystal and molecular structure of o-benzoquinone". Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 2 (4): 476. doi:10.1039/P29730000476.
^Mure, Minae; Wang, Sophie X.; Klinman, Judith P. (2003). "Synthesis and Characterization of Model Compounds of the Lysine Tyrosyl Quinone Cofactor of Lysyl Oxidase". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 125 (20): 6113–6125. doi:10.1021/ja0214274. PMID12785842.