A quinonoid zwitterion is a special type of

zwitterion In chemistry, a zwitterion ( ; ), also called an inner salt or dipolar ion, is a molecule that contains an equal number of positively- and negatively-charged functional groups. : With amino acids, for example, in solution a chemical equilibrium w ...

(or more precisely

Mesoionic In chemistry, mesoionic compounds are one in which a heterocyclic structure is dipolar and where both the negative and the positive charges are delocalized. A completely uncharged structure cannot be written and mesoionic compounds cannot be re ...

) based on

quinone The quinones are a class of organic compounds that are formally "derived from aromatic compounds benzene.html" ;"title="uch as benzene">uch as benzene or naphthalene] by conversion of an even number of –CH= groups into –C(=O)– groups with ...

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one ele ...

s. The

benzene Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen ato ...

derivate 1,3-dihydroxy-4,6-diaminobenzene is easily

oxidized Redox (reduction–oxidation, , ) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of substrate change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a de ...

by air in water or methanol to the quinonoid. This compound was first prepared in 1883 and the quinonoid structure first proposed in 1956. In 2002 the compound was found to be more stable and to exist as the zwitterion after a proton transfer. Evidence for this structure is based on

NMR spectroscopy Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, most commonly known as NMR spectroscopy or magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), is a spectroscopic technique to observe local magnetic fields around atomic nuclei. The sample is placed in a magnetic fiel ...

and

x-ray crystallography X-ray crystallography is the experimental science determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to diffract into many specific directions. By measuring the angle ...

. The positive charge is delocalized between the amino groups over 4 bonds involving 6

pi electron In chemistry, pi bonds (π bonds) are covalent chemical bonds, in each of which two lobes of an orbital on one atom overlap with two lobes of an orbital on another atom, and in which this overlap occurs laterally. Each of these atomic orbital ...

s. The negative charge is spread likewise between the oxygen atoms. Quinoid zwitterion

References

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External links

Seminar abstract
Zwitterions

See also

References

External links