Quinones: A Source of Color in Aged Cellulosics

Quinone compounds can be intensely colored, causing color change at the parts per million level.  Various quinones are apparently reaction products caused by oxidation of glucose residues.  In particular, an initially oxidized glucose residue at the 3-position with methyl groups at the 1 and 4 positions has been found to form a three-ring compound by formation of a dimer. The central ring of the dimer has an analogous chemistry to the 2,5-dihyddroxy benzoquinone chromophore.