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Last Updated : April.19.2004

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What is Naphthoquinone?

"Quinone" is the family name of dioxo derivatives of dihydroaromatic rings. Quinone with naphthalene ring is called "Naphthoquinone" , There are two types of naphthoquinone based on positions of carbonyl function,
One is

-Naphthoquinone as para -quinone and the other is

-Naphthoquinone as ortho -quinone.


-Naphthoquinone 1,4-Naphthoquinone	-Naphthoquinone 1,2-Naphthoquinone

Quinones manufactured industrially in large quantities are following 3 types, Benzoquinone, Naphthoquinone and Anthraquinone.


1,4-Benzoquinone	1,4-Naphthoquinone	9,10-Anthraquinone

1,4-Naphthoquinone is an unique chemical and is manufactured by Kawasaki Kasei. 1,4-Naphthoquinone is produced by catalytic air oxidation of naphthalene with vanadium catalyst.

Oxidation / reduction potential of 1,4-Naphthoquinone (vs N.H.E.) is between Benzoquinone and Anthraquinone as the following, Therefore 1,4-Naphthoquinone has interesting physical properties and reactivity compared to the other two quinones.

Series of Vitamin K’s are naturally existing 1,4-Naphthoquinone derivatives.
1,4-Naphthoquinone is industrially used as a raw material for biologically

Vitamin K 1

Vitamin K 2

Vitamin K 3

active substances (pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, cosmetics, etc) and functional chemicals (desulfurization catalyst, photochemicals, etc). In addition, 1,4-naphthoquinone itself is used as polymerization inhibitor and scale inhibitor.