What is "hydroxybenzoquinone"

n. (context organic compound English) Any of several organic compounds that can be viewed as derivatives of a benzoquinone through replacement of one hydrogen atom by a hydroxyl group.

A hydroxybenzoquinone (formula: ) is any of several organic compounds that can be viewed as derivatives of a benzoquinone through replacement of one hydrogen atom (H) by an hydroxyl group (-OH).

In general, the term may mean any benzoquinone derivative where any number n of hydrogens have been replaced by n hydroxyls, so that the formula is . In this case the number n (which is between 1 and 4) is indicated by a multiplier prefix (mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, or hexa-).

The unqualified term "hydroxybenzoquinone" usually means a derivative of 1,4-benzoquinone. Other hydroxy- compounds can be derived from the other isomer, namely 1,2-benzoquinone or ortho-benzoquinone. The IUPAC nomenclature uses dihydrobenzenedione instead of "benzoquinone", with the necessary prefixes to indicate the positions of the carbonyl oxygens (=O) — as in 2,3-dihydroxy-1a,4a-dihydrobenzene-1,4-dione (= 2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone).

The hydroxybenzoquinones (in the particular or the general sense) include many biologically and industrially important compounds, and are a building block of many medicinal drugs.

Thomson R.H. Naturally Occurring Quinones. Academic Press, London (1971). Quoted by Khalafy and Bruce.

Thomson R.H. Naturally Occurring Quinones III. Chapman and Hall, London (1987). Quoted by Khalafy and Bruce.