Tautomeric and conformational isomerism of natural hydroxyanthraquinones

Natural 1,5-di-, 1,4,5-tri-, and 1,4,5,8-tetrahydroxyanthraquinones and their anions and metal complexes were shown to be equilibrium mixtures of tautomers and conformers using quantum-chemical and correlation analysis of elecronic absorption spectra. Solvent effects, ionization, complexation, and the introduction and substitution of substituents were accompanied by shifts of tautomeric and conformational equilibria that determine the color of the compounds. ©2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.