Anthraquinones

For the parent molecule 9,10-anthraquinone, see anthraquinone

Anthraquinones (also known as anthraquinonoids) are a class of naturally occurring phenolic compounds based on the 9,10-anthraquinone skeleton. They are widely used industrially and occur naturally.

The name "anthraquinone" was first used by German chemists Carl Graebe and Carl Theodore Liebermann in a 1868 publication describing the chemical synthesis of the red dye alizarin from anthracene, a component of coal tar. This discovery led to the industrial production of alizarin and the impetus for further research on anthraquinone chemistry.