On the Origin of the Red Color of Aqueous-Solutions of 2,3-Dichloro-5,6-Dicyano-1,4-Benzoquinone (ddq). Crystal Structure of the Ammonium Salt of 2-Cyano-5,6-Dichloro-3-Hydroxy-1,4-Benzoquinone

Abstract

Hydrolysis of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone in aqueous ethanol gives the deep-red coloured ammonium salt of a monocyano-dichloro-monohydroxy-benzoquinone which crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4₁ /a, a 20.832(5), c 8.618(2) Å, Z 16. Single-crystal X-ray structure determination (R 0.036 for 1185 'observed' reflections) show the presence of ammonium cations forming hydrogen bonds in the lattice alternatingly with the tautomeric anion of 2-cyano-5,6-dichloro-3-hydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone and 3-cyano-5,6-dichloro-4-hydroxy-1,2-benzoquinone.